Southern Comfort
by Pandora's Box Is Heavy
Summary: A winter carnival and a 'friend' with 'good intentions' will help Bella and Edward finally admit that they are in love with one another. The ride is bumpy with a big helping of fluff but it's nothing they can't handle. A love story set in the south. No Angst-Canon pairings-HEA
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**Everyone's probably going to hate on Jessica, and that's fine by me.. she's right up there with Tanya in my book (I think FF has ruined them for me). I went into this story after having listened to a song by The Band Perry called Walk Me Down the Middle and all of a sudden it turned into this 45 chapter story that sort of has nothing to do with the song itself. There are sad times but the good beats out the bad I promise. And as always Edward and Bella are the main components of my stories. I don't do infidelity or angst because it's not my cup of tea.**

**Caitlin thank you for making this legible for my darling readers, I couldn't have done it without you. And V even though you're taking a hiatus from FF for a while and I don't know if you'll even see this thank you for badgering me for something new and showing me an undying devotion, sometimes I forget that I'm writing for more than just you. You two are seriously the moons of my life.**

**Follow me on Twitter if you'd like (at) PandorasFF. I'll most likely tease and tickle everyone before an update *snickers* Enjoy**

**Chapter One**

"Are you sure you don't mind Bella?" Jessica asks noncommittally.

"I'm sure, Jess," I mumble, trying to use the fact that I spilled nail polish on my rug as a distraction.

Jessica is so wrapped up in her own little world she can't tell I'm falling apart at the seams. Instead of realizing that she's clearly upsetting me, she continues to run her mouth. And for the first time in our short friendship I question my choice in befriending her.

"I mean," she says, tossing her impeccably straight, dishwater blond hair over her shoulder and turns back to her toes. "I always thought the two of you would get together, but here you are, years later, and you haven't made a move."

"I know, Jess. I just said I didn't mind." I stare down at my dry toes and realize that no one will ever see the sparkly blue I just spent half an hour perfecting.

Living in the south we tend to eat, sleep and breathe in our boots. I have a pair of flip flops I wear when I shower at the gym, but other than that I am always wearing my cowboy boots or a pair of smart flats. Besides, it's winter and even though we don't get snow, it's still too cold for sandals.

"Well then you don't mind giving me his number? I'd like to call him now before I lose my courage." In an effort to be funny, ironic even, she takes another sip of her margarita.

As if on auto-pilot, I close my polish container and reach for my phone, even though I don't need it. In seven years of friendship the least I could do was memorize his phone number. I'm fumbling through my contact list as a distraction because I'm afraid the tears burning in the corners of my eyes are going to fall any second now and I don't want to give Jess the satisfaction. If I can give her the number and push her out the door, I'll be free to break down in solitude.

He's my speed dial number 1 and I'm positive that Jessica knows that, but she doesn't say anything as I press unnecessary buttons before rattling the number off.

"Wait a second!" she screeches, reaching for her phone and punching the numbers in as quickly as she can. "Five-Five-Five-Oh-Two-Two-Seven?"

I nod and stand up to grab something to clean the spot on my carpet. I haven't even made it to the kitchen before I hear her talking.

_"Hi Eddie." _

Her voice is like nails on a chalkboard, something Edward (he despises being called anything but) joked about frequently.

_"I got your number from Bella because I wanted to ask you something."_ I know she's ignored his demand that she not call him by her pet name for him.

_"She's in the kitchen because she wanted to give me privacy. Yes, she knows I'm calling you._" Huh. That's funny. I thought I was getting a rag and some carpet cleaner.

_"Well we have the winter carnival ending tomorrow night, and I was wondering if you wanted to maybe go with me?"_ I wait for a second and Jess's voice drops down before she's back to her loud attention seeking volume. _"Sounds great! You can pick me up at six thirty. Buh bye!"_

I can hear her running to the kitchen excitedly and I fight the urge to crawl under my sink and sit amongst the cleaning supplies and stray spiders that inhabit the cupboard. She grabs my shoulders and spins me around so quickly, I bang my elbow on the counter. _Shit! That smarts!_

"He said yes. YES! Can you believe it? I have a date with Edward Cullen," she tells me, bouncing up and down in excitement. "Why are you crying?"

"Because I just banged my elbow pretty hard," I sniff. She's so self-conceited, she doesn't even realize I'm lying. And I'm a terrible liar.

"Oh, well I have to go find out what I'm going to wear." She pulls away and prattles off the different things she needs to do before tomorrow night. I watch from the side lines as she puts her polishes back in the tiny bag she'd brought over and walk her to the door.

She puts her coat around her shoulders before turning to me, and to add more fuel to the fire, she tells me, "Thank God you talked me into helping the decorating committee. I can't wait to use all of that mistletoe."

The door hasn't clicked shut before the tears spill over. My shaky hand barely manages to lock the dead bolt before a high keened sob rips through my body. I manage to get to my bedroom and close the door softly before crying my heart out.

My cell phone rings somewhere in the living room. Or maybe the kitchen? I can't remember where I left it. It's his ringtone. The phone beeps and the house phone rings seconds later, but I remain burrowed under my covers, wallowing in my very own misery and heartache.

**I'm going to the orthodontist to get braces in the morning and would love to hear everyone's stories good or bad with the contraptions because I'm a little scared.**

** Updates will be as frequent as I can manage. I work full time and even when I'm off I receive calls from the idiots that work under my thumb so be patient. **

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**Survived orthodontia and am now the proud owner of a set of train tracks on my the pain hasn't hit me yet but dental wax is my best friend so i know its close. So I figured I would get another chapter out there. **

**Enjoy ladies**

**Chapter Two**

"She didn't." Alice paces angrily across my kitchen as she readies two cups of tea.

"She did," I croak.

"I can't believe she did this! I was this close to convincing you into asking him to the winter carnival." She holds up a hand and pinches her pointer finger and thumb together to signify just how close she was. "This close Bella. That skank! I knew she was nothing but trouble."

"Ali-"

My voice cuts off abruptly when I hear my cell go off in the living room. We both freeze because we both know who it is. Before she can try to talk me into answering, I tell her, "I will call him back in a little while."

"Knowing my brother he's probably on his way over here, seeing as he called me at the ass crack of dawn, begging me to come check on you because he was at work." She checks her watch. "He got off forty minutes ago by the way, so he could be here any minute with the way he drives."

She hands me a cup of peppermint tea and sits across from me with a look of sheer pity. Hell, if I was a stranger looking at myself right now, I'd probably feel pity.

"Are you still coming tonight? Jasper and I can come pick you up," she offers.

"No. I'll walk. I could use the air," I reply, sipping my tea.

"What are you going to tell him when you do talk to him?" Alice asks curiously.

"Nothing. I'm going to be happy for him," I answer confidently. She gives me another one of her looks. "I'm serious, Alice. If she's what he wants, then I just want him to be happy. I'm good at pretending."

"Sure you are, Bella." Her eyes roll. "And I love it when Jasper drags me to one of his horse shows. If we were born to be actresses, we'd be living in Hollywood right now, Bella."

My chin trembles, despite the fact that I woke up this morning with a promise that I wouldn't shed anymore tears over this. I feel the all too familiar prickles in the corner of my eyes and blink rapidly. Alice, my sweet Alice, ignores the fact that I look like I'm having an epileptic seizure. She sips her tea quickly because she's on a schedule and allows me to gather my emotions. It's quiet for a few minutes before she stands up.

"Well call me when you get there and we'll meet up with you, ok?" she says, draining the rest of her tea cup. "I have to go pick up Jasper from the ranch. I can't wait until we can afford a second car."

I walk her to the door and hold her purse while she bundles up. We share a hug that lasts a little bit longer because I enjoy the comfort of my best girlfriend and she's an extremely cuddly person by nature. When we do pull away, traitor tears are falling down my cheeks and Alice lifts a hot pink glove covered hand to wipe them away.

"You gonna be okay, Bells?" Her voice is genuinely laced with concern.

"I'm gonna be fine, Ali. Just fine," my voice breaks. "I'll see you tonight, alright?"

"Ok," she whispers before closing the door behind her. I lean against the wall with my eyes closed and thank God for Alice.

My best girlfriend.

Despite her usual attitude, she took my feelings into consideration and stopped herself from telling me the four words that would probably break me at this point. _I told you so._

I just know it's bubbling inside her to tell me. Last year when I introduced Jessica to our group, Alice had taken me aside and told me that Jess was bad news, but I ignored it. A month later when she'd dragged her poor boss Mike Newton's heart through the gutter, I should have realized that Alice was right, but I didn't. It wasn't until after she left the night before that I saw Jess for what she really was.

A home wrecking, selfish person that cared only for herself and her personal gain.

She ruined Mike's life when he found out she cheated on him and ruined the Cheney's marriage when Angela walked in on Jess and Ben going at it in his office. She ruined everything she touched and now she was going after the most important person in my life. And she was going into it knowingly.

I set our tea cups in the sink and was about to spend a little one on one time with my bed when I hear the soft, familiar knock on my front door. I'm frozen on the spot in the doorway of the kitchen leading into the living room. He knocks again.

"Come on, Bells." My heart clenches. "I know you're home."

And then I hear the sounds of a key jiggling the lock.

My best friend, number 1 on my speed dial, my reason for living, is also the only person in this town with a spare key to my house. And for the first time in the four years since I'd given it to him, I regret my decision.

**I promise the drama lasts just a couple more chapters. A few people asked about Edward's voice dropping and why he said yes if he so obviously hates Jessica's face and I'm sorry to say that there are no EPOV's in this story. I know right? I love doing him (writing in his int of view you perverts) lol.. But not for this story. So you'll have to wait and see how it all pans out k?**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**I might be updating more than once today just to get the blah out of this story :D glad to e that everyone is liking it though!**

**Enjoy**

**Chapter Three**

The door swings open and his eyes immediately land on where I stand.

"I knocked," he states, holding his hands up innocently.

"I know." I'm not looking at him because I've finally managed to stop the tears and I'm not sure how seeing him will affect me. Instead, I stare at a spot right above his head. "I was in the laundry room."

"But it's Saturday." His head quirks to the side. "Bella Swan doesn't do chores on Saturdays." I've followed and enforced that law for almost my entire life. I'm lying and of course he knows it. And unlike polite and kind Alice, he's calling me out on it.

"I wanted to wear my favourite jeans tonight and I forgot to wash them on laundry day, so..." I trail off. "What are you doing here?"

"Well my best friend didn't answer the phone when I called and my little sister just flipped me off when I passed her on Dairy Road, so I figured I'd come see what's wrong," he explains as he flops onto my sofa. "Everything ok?"

"Everything is fine." I walk over to the fireplace and immediately regret it. Laying across the mantel are different pictures of my life; out of the twenty or so framed pictures that line the shelf, there might be one or two that don't include Edward. My eyes automatically zone in on his face in each one.

"Well that's a crock of bullshit," he snorts. "Cupcake had her baby this morning."

Edward works as an equestrian veterinarian for a local horse ranch on the outskirts of our dinky town. When I met him seven years ago, I never would have thought that his calling would be doctoring sick horses and birthing foals on a daily basis, but he loves his job and I love hearing about the new babies that he helps bring into the world.

"Hmm," I comment.

"A little colt. We named him Shortcake." His voice is tense, almost like he's only talking so that he is doing something.

"Sounds cute," I mumble.

"Yeah, you should come down and see him. Maggie wanted me to tell you she's ready for an update on the website when you're free. She'd also like to have an announcement about Shortcake, so don't forget your camera."

Maggie Cope pays top dollar for her web designs, and I could use the money.

"Tell her I'll come down on Monday." I turn away from the pictures.

"You'll probably see her tonight. You are still coming right?" His boots are on my coffee table.

Any other day I'd give him hell for scuffing up the polished wood, but I can't find it in me to care. He wiggles his foot and I realize he's doing it on purpose, to get a rise out of me. There's nothing in me to rise though. Rather than bitching him out, I sit across from him in the old rocking chair from my childhood nursery.

"Yeah. I'll be there."

He's wearing the jeans I gifted him for Christmas a few days ago. Button fly and a darker wash than he usually wears, but I couldn't pass them up because I secretly couldn't wait to see his ass in them. His flannel button up is open at the top and I can see the top of the tattoo I'd gone with him to get when we graduated from college. He got a horseshoe over his heart and I chickened out and got a heart the size of my thumb nail that isn't colored in because it hurt too badly.

I flip my wrist over and run a finger over the heart.

"So were you behind Jessica asking me to go with her?" he asks, his voice full of accusation.

"What?"

"You know I can't stand the girl. I figured it was a prank or something, but I ran into her this morning and she made sure I had her address." His words are tight and I take the moment to look at his face.

Bright hazel eyes almost the color of yellow topaz stare into mine, full of conflict.

"She asked me for your phone number and told me she wanted to ask you," I explain. "From her excitement. I gathered that you said yes."

"Well yeah, because I thought it was a joke," Edward snorts humourlessly. "But now I'm stuck with her as my date."

Immediately my sour mood perks up. Its obvious Edward doesn't want to go with Jessica to the winter carnival.

"Maybe you'll have fun," I offer. Excitement that he didn't harbour feelings for my ex-friend is bubbling to the surface. "If you don't want to go with her, just call her and tell her."

"I can't do that," he says sadly.

That's right, because Edward Cullen is a gentleman. They don't make boys like him anymore. He's the only male I know that opens the door for a lady and still pulls out their chair for them. His old school manners are just another reason why I love him.

I'm positive that he'll cart Jess around tonight and drop her off on the front porch with a friendly handshake and explanation that nothing would happen.

"Well I have to get ready, so you better go."

"I'll see you tonight?"

"Of course. I'll probably be with Jasper and Alice most of the night." I walk him to the door and revel in his natural warmth when he pulls me into a friendly hug.

"Save me a dance, Bells," he whispers before walking out of my house.

I rush to my bedroom and destroy my closet in an effort to find something decent to wear. My plan is to go to the winter carnival, have fun and ignore the fact that Jess will no doubt be fawning all over Edward. When we share the dance he insisted that I save for him, I'll ask him to stop by my house once he drops Jess off and I'll lay it out on the table.

I'll tell Edward Cullen that I'm madly in love with him.

**Braces are a bitch! I feel like I got socked in each tooth by Mike Tyson :(**

**I might see you soon but no promises. My bed will look mighty comfortable come five o'clock **

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**Ugh, sorry this is late. I was going to update as soon as i got home but I made some soup.. and then I decided to eat bread with said soup and I am in immense pain.. like if I died right now I would be okay with it pain.. ugh**

**Chapter Four**

Walnut Street is completely packed with people. Our town isn't overly populated, but the winter carnival is something popular, so it isn't uncommon for an abundance of tourists to show up on the last night. They help keep the shops that lined the street in business, so no one complains.

It's a long walk from my house to Walnut Street but I want the privacy. I walk to the carnival alongside a few of the people that had parked on my street and am taken away by the sight of Walnut Street all dolled up for the celebration. Our town celebrates for a week and tonight being the last night until next year makes for an exciting time for everyone. This year the mayor has rented a snow machine that a group of small children that have probably never seen snow before are standing under, mesmerized by the fluffy white stuff that's floating all around them.

A quick text message informs me that Alice and Jasper are in line getting us some of Maggie's famous hot white chocolate, so I head towards the opposite end of the street, waving at any familiar face I pass. Lauren stops me to admire my outfit of choice, a pair of dark wash jeans stuffed into my favourite cowboy boots that have fur lining, to keep my feet toasty, and a black pea coat that I received from my mother for my birthday.

"I never see you this dressed up," she laughs. "Are you actually wearing eyeliner?"

"Yep, I couldn't do the mascara though. The wand freaks me out." We share a friendly hug and her husband, Tyler, catches up with us, pulling her into a passionate kiss before pointing up towards the mistletoe that hangs above us. He kisses my cheek to keep up with tradition and they inform me that they found out their baby due in a few months is a boy. I congratulate them before hurrying off to find Alice and Jasper.

Alice is excited to see me and I'm sure she notices the change in my mood. We share a brief hug before Jasper hands me a cup of hot white chocolate and kisses my cheek before pointing up to the mistletoe. I follow the two of them over to the pavilion where the local high school's chorus is performing. They are singing the song Alice and Jasper danced to at their wedding. I hold their cups while they slow dance amongst the other couples on the make shift dance floor in front of the pavilion.

"Did you save me a dance?" a smooth voice causes me to jump and almost drop the cups in my hand.

I turn and find Edward sans Jessica standing behind me.

"Huh?"

"Did you save me a dance?" he takes the cups from my hands and sets them on the ground by a tree so they don't get trampled.

"Yeah." I smile as he leads me out onto the dance floor.

The song has ended and Maria, Jasper's little sister walks up to a single microphone before the band starts up. My heart starts to beat erratically when I recognize the song. I want nothing more than to pull away but Edward's already grabbed my hand and wrapped his free arm around my waist. He starts to sway us slowly as Maria begins to sing.

_When the rain is blowing in your face,_

_And the whole world is on your case,_

_I could offer you a warm embrace_

_To make you feel my love._

The feeling of his arm around me is almost too much. I pull my hand free and wrap both of my arms around his neck.

_When the evening shadows and the stars appear,_

_And there is no one there to dry your tears,_

_I could hold you for a million years_

_To make you feel my love._

I rest my head on his shoulder as we dance and I fight the tears pooling in my eyes.

_I know you haven't made your mind up yet,_

_But I would never do you wrong._

_I've known it from the moment that we met,_

_No doubt in my mind where you belong._

_I'd go hungry; I'd go black and blue,_

_I'd go crawling down the avenue._

_No, there's nothing that I wouldn't do_

_To make you feel my love._

I want to tell him. God, I'm dying to look into his eyes and let him know that I'm in love with him.

_The storms are raging on the rolling sea_

_And on the highway of regret._

_Though winds of change are blowing wild and free,_

_You ain't seen nothing like me yet._

I lift my head up so that I can see his face and realize that his eyes are swimming with an emotion I've never seen before.

_I could make you happy, make your dreams come true._

_Nothing that I wouldn't do._

_Go to the ends of the Earth for you,_

_To make you feel my love_

The song comes to an end but we are still stuck in the same spot staring into each other's eyes. We're both looking for something, anything. A tear falls down my cheek and he's quick to wipe it away. I open my mouth because I know if I don't admit my feelings right this second, I might not ever have the courage.

"Edward."

"Yeah."

"I-"

"Excuse me. Can I have my date back now?" Jessica's voice cut's me off, bringing us out of the tight bubble we'd found ourselves in.

I pull away from Edward so quickly that I bump into a dancing couple behind me. I apologize and scramble off of the dance floor towards Alice and Jasper.

"Oh Bella," she says, pulling me into a tight hug. "The two of you break my heart."

Jasper hands me a handkerchief out of his pocket and points to his eyes. "You got a little make up darlin'."

I let Alice wipe the eyeliner off of my cheeks and they insist that I accompany them to dinner. Knowing that I shouldn't, but not being able to help myself, I scan the dance floor and find Edward immediately. He and Jessica are dancing on the edge of the dance floor by the pavilion, but his eyes are on me, causing my heart to seize.

As if she knows I'm looking, Jessica lifts her hand up to cup his cheek before leaning in and whispering something. He smiles and I watch him lean down. I look away before their lips meet.

And in that moment, what was left of my fragile heart disintegrates into nothing.

**Keep in mind this story is through Bella's eyes and she's sort of fragile at the moment. See you tomorrow if I haven't succumb to the pain :( **

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**Multiple updates aren't possible for me at the moment cause I'm a little busy with work and stuff so I'm just going to give you this one and promise to see you soon. Keep in mind soon could mean tomorrow. Don't hate me :(**

**Chapter Five**

We are sitting in a seafood restaurant smack dab in the middle of Walnut Street. It's pretty vacant seeing as everyone is out in the cold. When our server asks for our order, a high pitched sound erupts from my throat and Alice, bless her heart, takes over, ordering my usual.

She and Jasper try to include me in their conversations, but eventually give up and we spend the remainder of dinner in silence. I feel bad for ruining their night, so I pick up the tab. I give them a hug and tell them to enjoy the rest of their night before heading home, avoiding anyone and everyone that I can. The good people of my town seem to sense that I'd like to be left alone and I'm grateful that they steer clear.

I enter my house and go through my nightly routine on auto pilot. Rather than curling up on my bed, I decide to lay in front of the fire with a book. The flames flicker, giving me enough light to read, but after twenty minutes I realize I'm not absorbing any of the words on the page. Wrapping my furry throw around my shoulders, I pull a cushion off the couch and use it as a pillow.

The fire is warm, but it doesn't thaw out the numb feeling that's taken over my body.

My phone dings with a text message, but I'm too tired to move. The past two days have drained me of any energy, so I close my eyes and fall asleep hugging myself. I rarely dream and tonight is no different.

When I wake up I'm in my bed instead of in front of the fire. My head is hurting and my cheeks are caked with dried up tears, so it's obvious I'd cried during the night. Figuring that I must have snuck back into my room on the way to the bathroom in the middle of the night, I get up and start my day.

I have an appointment today at the local Baptist church between services so that we can go over their summer vacation bible school program that we'll be adding to their website, but that's not for another two hours. I don't go to church, so it would be impolite just to go on the day where they will possibly be paying me for a service.

I enter the kitchen and realize that the coffee's already been started.

"Hey."

The scream that rips through me is painful and torturous to my already raw throat. I reach behind me for something anything to use as a weapon when a pair of arms wrap themselves around me.

"Shh. It's me." Edward says calmly.

"What are you doing here?" My throat is so raw it pains me to croak out my words.

"I came to check on you." He gives me a crooked smile. "I didn't see you at the carnival after ou-"

"Yeah, I went out to dinner with Alice and Jasper and then came home." I pull out of his embrace and reach for a cough drop.

"I had a lot of fun last night." He leans against the counter with a happy smile on his face.

My heart is practically in shreds, but his words set those pieces on fire.

"I'm sure you did." My voice is unintentionally full of venom and it doesn't go unnoticed.

"Are you ok?" Edward asks. His head cocks to the side and at this moment I just want to slap him silly, and I'm not a violent person.

"I'm perfectly fine, Edward," I snap. "I take it Jessica had fun?"

I don't know why I'm asking. It's pouring salt into an open wound, but I have to know. I have to be reassured.

"Yeah, I guess she did. I won her a stupid teddy bear and she named him Eddie." He rolls his eyes and I wish that he could see just how much pain I'm enduring at the moment.

"Sounds nice." I walk over to the door. "I have an appointment with Reverend Banner in a little while. You better go so I can take a shower and stuff. I can't be late."

He stands frozen in what I'm guessing is a state of shock before thawing out. "Oh, ok. Well good luck with the Reverend." He puts his jacket on and pulls me into a friendly hug. I'm frozen, stiff as a board and Edward squeezes me tighter until I reciprocate the hug. "I really wish we had another dance last night." His words are soft and full of hurt.

"Me too." My voice breaks and I pull away facing the opposite way so that he can't see the tears in my eyes.

"Do you want to have dinner tonight? I can bring take out over after your meeting," he offers.

"I can't. I have to get the church's website up and running. No distractions," I swallow thickly.

"Bells, you'd tell me if there was something wrong, wouldn't you?" he asks.

"Of course." I hate lying to him, but I'm so hurt. So unbelievably hurt that I don't think I can come back from this.

"I did have fun last night, Bells. But I wish I would have spent the entire night with you on that dance floor."

"Yeah, well I'm pretty sure your date would have had something to say about that." Another round of tears pour down my cheeks as the visual of Edward leaning towards her until their lips meet pops into my head.

"I'll call you tonight." He opens the door. "Bye Bells."

I struggle to keep from crying, but as soon as the door clicks shut, I let go. My sobs are choked and the pain is evident in the sounds coming from me. He doesn't return. I cancel the meeting with Reverend Banner and wallow in self-pity for a few hours before a knock on the door catches my attention. I shuffle over to the door and open it without looking out the peep hole immediately regretting doing so.

"Edward."

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**my mouth is killing me but I wanted to get this out. I don't know if I'm going to be able to update tomorrow :( my brother and I are going to fight the nerds at GameStop for selling us not one, but two faulty games. Ass hats**

**Chapter Six**

"Edward?"

"Hey." His hands are in his pockets.

"Hi." I drag my hand through the rats nest that I call my hair. "What's up?"

"The sky and dodo birds." He leans down and picks up a giant paper bag. "I brought dinner."

"Edward," I sigh.

"I know you said you wanted to be left alone, but I'm your best friend. You suffer, I suffer." His voice is sad.

Too bad he doesn't realize he's partly to blame for the group suffering.

Knowing he's just as hard headed as I am and not wanting my neighbours to call the cops if we butt heads, I move to the side and let him enter my clean house. Yes, it's Saturday. Yes I manically cleaned my entire apartment to help get my mind off a certain country boy currently residing on my couch. I excuse myself and rush to the vanity mirror, taking in my current appearance.

My nose is red and raw.

My eyes are puffy and still leaking.

My hair looks like a sparrow could make its home in it.

Not wanting to be rude to my company, I decide to take a quick sink bath, allowing my dry shampoo to help me tame my somewhat ridiculous mess and the cool water to relieve my burning eyes. I still look like shit, but it matches the way I feel on the inside. Some things can't be helped.

Edward's already set the coffee table up with plates and a cheap bottle of wine we picked up on a group visit to a local vineyard a few towns over. I take a seat on the opposite end of the couch.

"So what's for dinner?"

"Orange chicken from Hop Shing," he smiles. "Fried rice and extra egg rolls. Sound good?"

"Sounds great." It actually does.

Edward dishes out the food and hands me my plate complete with a pair of beginners chop sticks because I'm coordinately challenged. We eat in silence and I realize that I haven't eaten anything all day. I practically inhale everything on my plate and then devour three of the five egg rolls.

"So you gonna tell me what's going on in that pretty little head of yours?" he asks once we are stuffed and leaning against the couch, our plates and the leftover food sitting on the table.

"No." I blush at his sentiment.

"Come here." He opens his arms and I can't stop myself from burrowing into his side. He's always been my comfort and I find that even now he still is.

His arm is wrapped securely around my shoulders and I feel the familiar tickle of tears in my eyes because I should be happy that even if it's only friendship he wants, it still means that he wants me. Edward's thumb starts to rub the skin under the sleeve of my shirt and I can't suppress the shiver that runs through me under his touch.

"Let me in, Bells," he whispers into my hair.

"I can't," I croak, shaking my head.

"Why?" His voice is full of pain. Pain that I caused.

"Because..." The tears start again, burning my nose and wetting the neck line of my T-shirt.

"Bells..." A strong finger lifts my chin so that our eyes meet. "Please."

"No." I shake my head again and burrow into his side, further wrapping his arm around me until I can barely breathe. "Just stay here with me."

I sound pitiful. The desperation in my voice is evident.

For a few minutes we sit like that, me just wrapped up in his arms. I've never felt safer. I want to tell him. I want to beg him to forget Jess because she'll only bring him pain. She'll never love him the way I do. All of the years that I've spent fantasizing about a life with Edward has given me great visuals of what our life could be like. I'm almost hysterical when instead of seeing my face in those mental pictures, I see hers; straight dishwater blond hair instead of my wavy brown, her cold blue eyes instead of my muddy brown ones.

"Bella." Edward squeezes my shoulder. "Shh, calm down. Please."

But I can't.

Instead of the brown haired, hazel eyed babies I'd pictured, I see a sad Edward sitting alone next to her. He's always ranting and raving about how he can't wait to have a half a dozen children, but Jessica's made it a known fact that she's too selfish and will never have a child. Would he give up his dream for her?

Instead of walking down the aisle and staring into Edward's eyes. I'm alone in a pew watching her walk towards him in a glamorous Hollywood-like wedding instead of the country one I know he deserves.

Rather than growing old with him on the front porch of our house together, I'm alone.

I'm always alone without him.

I realize in that moment that no one would ever take Edward's place in my heart. Even if he decided that we were better off friends, I would never find someone that made me half as good as he does.

"Bella..." He grabs my face in between his hands and forces me to look at him. "Please stop crying. You're breaking my heart."

I decide that I have nothing to lose in any scenario I come up with. I'm alone and I don't want to be old and alone.

"I love you."

My eyes search his, but they give nothing away.

It's too quiet.

He's too quiet.

I'm losing everything.

I try to stand up, wanting nothing more than to get away from this situation. I want to crawl into my bed and wake up with a do over. I try to get away as fast as I can before the embarrassing sounds that are working their way up my throat come out, but he won't let me go. His arm is holding me tighter than before and I look up at him through blurry eyes to find him smiling like a goof ball.

My heart sinks because I'm afraid he's going to be cruel. How could Edward Cullen ever have feelings for boring Bella Swan?

And the sounds come. And they terrify me. They scare the shit out of Edward, causing his smile to fall and his arm to hold me impossibly tighter.

"Don't cry, Bella. Don't cry," he pleads.

But I can't. My sobs are choked up and luckily Edward realizes I'm making myself sick because he lets me go and I spring for the bathroom, howling the entire way until I make it to the toilet and expel everything I'd eaten.

What I wouldn't give for one of my mother's shirts at the moment. When I was little and would get upset like I am now, I would breathe in the smell of her shirt and it would help me calm down. But she's God knows where at the moment and I'm here making a goddamned fool out of myself.

And then he's there, holding my hair back and handing me a brown paper bag to breathe into to calm my erratic breathing.

Eventually I'm able to breathe without the aid of the paper bag. Edward helps me stand up and hands me my toothbrush. I'm so exhausted that I can't fight the fact that he just saw me like that. I brush my teeth lazily and lean over the sink to rinse my mouth out when my body gives in to the exhaustion and I go limp against the counter.

**oh Bella :( she makes me so sad**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**Chapter Seven**

A familiar pair of hazel eyes are the first thing I see when I finally manage to open mine. I used to love staring into these eyes, a shade darker than yellow topaz.

I've spent the majority of the last seven years memorizing every aspect of these eyes and of the man that they belong to. I don't have to strain to find the dark brown freckle on the left iris. My vision automatically hones in on it.

These eyes that are usually full of light and laughter are now sad and worried.

I make a move to sit up, but familiar callused hands stop me, pressing me back into the couch.

"Take it easy." His voice is my favorite sound.

I once joked with his sister that I could listen to him read the phone book on repeat for the rest of my life and never grow tired of it. She called me crazy and picked on me for weeks after that because she knew I was serious.

I'm too exhausted to fight, so I lean back into the worn cushion. Edward is quiet and the silence is awkward, but I don't want to be the first to say something. I'm staring at the ceiling, and out of the corner of my eye I can see him watching me intently from his perch on the edge of my coffee table. I don't need to turn my head to see that his pointer finger and thumb are rubbing together, a nervous tick he picked up a few years back when he decided to quit the disgusting habit of chewing tobacco.

I can hear my Felix clock ticking away in the kitchen. A housewarming gift he gave me six years ago when I graduated from college and got my first apartment.

Eventually I sit up and head for the kitchen in search of something to drink. My eyes are surprisingly dry, but my throat is absolutely parched. I start a kettle of water and pull out the fixings for two cups of tea. One cinnamon because I know it's his favorite; it's the only reason I have a box. One peppermint because it calms me. I'm pouring the rock sugar into the cups when I hear him shuffle across the living room.

He must have taken off his boots at some point because he tends to shuffle in socked feet rather than the southern strut he has when he wears shoes. He stops and leans against the wall just inside the kitchen. I don't have to look up to know that his thumbs are hooked in the belt loops of his jeans.

I can feel his eyes on me, but he remains silent.

The kettle squeals in indication that the water is boiling, so I grab a pot holder and pour the water over the tea bags.

"Why?"

I look up and watch his Adams apple bob nervously as he rubs the side of his scruffy cheek.

"I don't understand your question," I state, my shaky hands are wrapped around my warm mug, I look down and watch the tea ripple inside from my anxiety.

"Why didn't you tell me?" His head is cocked to the side, his eyes burning with emotion.

"I don't know," I mumble, setting my cup down before I scold myself with the burning hot liquid.

"You don't know? Dang Bells." His hand is in his hair. He's angry, I can tell by the way he pulls at the ends.

"I don't know, Edward!" I cry. "How am I supposed to broach this subject? Maybe over movie night? 'Hey Edward, I just thought you'd want to know that I've been madly in love with you since the day we met. That you know me better than anyone in my life and that there's not a fraction of a second that you're not on my mind. Can you pass the egg rolls?' Is that how I was supposed to do it?"

The tears come once again. They're calmly falling down my cheeks, but I make no move to clear them away.

He grows quiet. The only sounds are his calm breaths, my somewhat erratic ones and the sound of the damn Felix clock hanging by the back door.

"I wanted to tell you at the carnival," I sniff. "When we were dancing."

His eyes narrow. "That's what you were going to tell me when Jessica interrupted?"

Her name causes my breath to seize. Visions of the two of them pass through my mind, but I push them away. Jessica's not here right now and I have to say my peace.

"Yes." I clear my throat. "I was going to tell you and then _your date_ showed up."

"Bella, you knew I didn't want to go with her," he huffs impatiently.

"But you did! And I get that you were too much of a gentlemen to cancel, but you still kissed her!" My voice becomes barely a whisper. "I've loved you for so long. Last night, the way you looked at me, I thought I might have a chance and then I saw you kiss her."

"Bell-"

"This is why I told Alice I'd keep it a secret." I throw my hands up in the air. "She kept telling me that I needed to come clean, but I didn't because I knew it would end up like this."

Unable to look at him any longer, I grab my cup from the table and throw it into the sink with a little too much force, causing the fragile glass to shatter. The lukewarm tea splashes along the counter and windowsill above the sink. I stare at the murky water as it trails down the window.

"Things are going to get awkward between the two of us now, aren't they?" I ask calmly as I pick pieces of fine china out of my sink and pile them on a napkin.

His silence is the only answer I need.

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**this would have been posted an hour ago but I had to battle the retarded router that my job is plagued with. **

**Follow me on Twitter (at) PandorasFF **

**Chapter Eight**

The silence... is deafening.

I feel a shard of my tea cup dig into the pad of my thumb, but I'm unable to relax my hands. I stare down at my beautifully painted toes and try not to think about the fact that I'd borrowed the color from Jessica. She loaned me her nail polish and I've loaned her my entire heart. I'm twenty-eight years old, but I feel like a fourteen year old being crushed by her first crush.

Edward by no means is my first crush. I've had boyfriends and a lover or two in my past, but that was before I met him. Unknowingly, Edward managed to ruin any other man for me. And I knowingly destroyed everything.

Blood slowly pools into my hand from the cut on my thumb, but I'm still stiff as a board. My mind begins to race in an effort to find a way that we can come out of this with our friendship intact, but as the minutes tick by, I know it's not possible.

I've been too dramatic and he's been too quiet.

I'm out of tears, but it doesn't keep me from hiccupping and sniffling away.

"I think you should go," I say when I'm finally able to find my voice.

The sound causes him to jump because we've been sitting in silence for so long.

"Bella..." He takes a step towards me with his hand outstretched, but I take a step backwards.

"I think we both need some time, Edward. Please."

He sighs and leaves the room.

I wrap my arms around my torso as if that will hold me together. I listen to him stomp into his boots and grab his jacket. The door opens and a small whimper escapes my mouth. The door closes softly as it returns.

The sobbing, the ever present tears… and the pain... the pain is so intense I wonder if I've inherited my father's bad heart. It feels like it's cracking, straight down the middle. As I fall to the floor of my kitchen, I catch a glimpse of the tattoo on the inside of my wrist. I remember the calm words he whispered in my ear while the artist finished, the way he ran his thumb over my puckered brow like clockwork in an effort to calm me.

Less than a minute later I hear something rustling around my living room. There's a stray cat that hangs out outside my door on random nights and she's manage to break into the house a few times in the past couple of months. I enter the living room ready to fend off a feral feline, but stop short when I realize I'm not alone.

Edward never left.

He's standing next to my stereo in his boots and heavy wool jacket. His head is bowed, but I know he knows I'm here because his thumb and forefinger begin rubbing together the instant I step into his vicinity.

"I understand why you didn't tell me," he says almost so quietly that I don't hear him.

I look down at my hands. "I don't regret keeping it from you, Edward," I explain. "The past seven years have been wonderful. Had I told you back then, we wouldn't be standing here right now."

His head raises and he looks at me intently. "Had you told me all those years ago... you're right we wouldn't be standing here."

My breath hitches.

"Had I been able to man up and tell you the way I felt, we wouldn't be here. We'd be living our lives together." He reaches out for me. I let him pull me towards him until we're almost touching. "The moment I saw you sitting in that shitty ass bar, I knew I wanted you. From the first words we spoke to each other, I knew I wanted to spend every moment of forever showing you that I loved you."

I'm confused.

Is he really confessing this?

"It's true, Bells." He leans down to my ear. "I love you. I'm in love with you. And I'm so sorry I wasn't enough of a man to do you right."

Our eyes meet. I'm trying to decipher him, and I'm elated when I see that his are full of genuine emotion and love. He reaches out and caresses my cheek in his warm hand.

I don't think I've taken a breath since I saw him standing in my living room.

We're flush against each other. He pulls my chin up again and leans his head towards mine. "Lord, I've been wantin' to do this for years."

And he presses his lips onto mine with so much love and passion that my knees buckle. But it's okay because he knows. His arm wraps around my waist and he holds me to him. Our sweet and innocent kiss is short lived. Seven years of repressed passion ignites a fire that Smoky the Bear couldn't prevent. Tongues tangle together as our teeth clash and I finally catch up.

I got my Edward. And I'll be damned if I ever let him go.

**Drama is officially over :D for now**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**So... Sorry this is late :D**

**Chapter Nine**

His hands are on my hips.

His tongue is halfway down my throat.

His boot covered foot nudges mine, effectively stubbing my big toe.

I pull away with a yelp of pain and grab at my foot. My big toe is throbbing; I take a look in fear that I'll lose a toe nail. Glittery Spiderman Blue stares up at me and my thoughts diverted from the pain in my foot.

"Jessica," I manage to get out as I lean against the couch.

My lips tingle from his assault.

I'll be damned if I want more.

"What about her?" Edward asks, taking my foot in his hand and gingerly wiggles my toe.

"Oh, I don't know. You were kissing her last night at the carnival and now we're seconds away from ripping each other's clothes off. You tell me, Edward," I huff, trying to pull my foot out of his grasp.

He's so damn strong. I'm not willing to break skin to skin contact.

"I'm not a home wrecking whore like she is. She might be a bad person, but I could never go behind her ba-"

"Bella."

"-ck." My eyes narrow accusingly. "I thought you were gentlemen. And all along you're a man wh-"

The hand that isn't holding my foot covers my mouth.

His smirk drives me wild.

"Will you shut your gator and let me talk for a minute?" I nod behind his hand. "Jessica was my date last night. We danced right under the entrance of pavilion and as a member of the decorating committee I'm sure you can come up with what decoration adorned the entire ceiling of that place."

Tyler kissing Lauren before planting a friendly kiss on my cheek.

Jasper handing me my hot white chocolate before kissing me on the same cheek.

I'm positive my face is a brilliant red at the moment. Edward's smirk is taunting now, his lips just a tad swollen from our impromptu make out session.

"Mistletoe." It's barely a whisper, but he hears it.

"Uh-huh. Had I known about the ceiling, I would have steered clear of that place, but Jess pointed it out and I had to uphold tradition." His cheeks are flushed.

Could it be embarrassment?

"On the lips?" My brow is raised.

"Well, she told me that she could feel that I wasn't into it." Edward stands up and takes my hands in his so that I can stand. "She also told me to get my head out of my ass and make a move before someone else scooped you up."

The guilt is a ton of bricks in the bottom of my stomach. I'd thought of Jess as a bad friend and thought bad thoughts about her and she was only trying to help me. I owed her a margarita. A big one.

"Really?"

"Yeah, really." He leans down and presses his lips to mine softly. "Hmm, seven whole years. Well worth the wait."

"Agreed."

"And you want to rip my clothes off?" he adds cockily, earning a harsh slap to the chest.

"Don't flatter yourself." I try to pull away, but he holds tight.

"Are you trying to say you don't want to rip my clothes off?" His voice is warm white hot chocolate on the coldest winter night, flowing through me and settling in the very pit of my stomach.

"Oh, I find you attractive, Edward." I place a hand on his chest and push him away. "But I've been crying nonstop for the past two and half days and I have to be at the ranch early in the morning to see Maggie about the new colt."

"So I should go?" His arm is still around me, squishing me to his chest.

Edward doesn't work out, but having worked with horses for the better part of the past six years, he's incredibly fit. If he wasn't wearing his thick as hell jacket, I'm positive he'd feel my nipples pebbling up for him.

I want him to stay, but I'm not stupid. People don't go from being the best of friends to being in a sleepover relationship in the matter of an hour. Sure he's stayed the night on my couch before, but having him stay in my house, having him get in my bed after that kiss we shared would be a bad choice. A bad choice in the best possible way, but it's not happening.

"If we're going to do this, we're going to do it right, Edward," I mumble, looking him in the eye.

He nods and leans down to capture my lips with his once more. This kiss is short lived but it's filled with love. My heart is hammering in my chest. When he pulls away, I'm gasping for air I didn't realize I needed.

"I'll see you tomorrow at the ranch then?" He is stalling.

"Yep. I'll be there around ten." I lean up and plant a kiss on his chin. "I've always wanted to do that."

"By all means." He pokes his chin down. "I'll see you tomorrow, beautiful."

Even though I feel like anything but beautiful at the moment, I blush under his sentiment. Shaking my head at his absurdity, I walk to the door and hold it open for him.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Edward."

He kisses my forehead before running out to his shiny black truck and rather than the earth shattering sobs that I've emitted every time I've been left alone as of late, I let out a wicked sounding squeal and dance on the spot the second my front door clicks shut. I'm dancing around my living room for about thirty seconds when I hear a faint knock on the door.

Part of me is hoping that it's Edward and that his truck won't start, abandoning him at my house for the night because that would just be oh so unfortunate. The rational side hopes it isn't Edward because I'm sure he heard my solo celebratory party. Both sides agree that it's gotta be him.

I throw the door open and low and behold there he is.

"I forgot something," he smirks. I can see the exhaust of his truck emitting puffs of smoke so he's probably letting it warm up.

"You did huh?" I look around for a stray glove even though I know he doesn't wear them.

"Yep and only you can give it to me."

My perverted side is ready and waiting for him, but the logical side knows he's going to ask a question.

""Uh huh?" I motion for him to get on with it.

"Will you go out with me?"

"Like on a date?" I cock my head to the side.

"No. Coon hunting. Of course a date," he snorts. "Please?"

"I'd love to, Edward." I make a move to shut the door, but stop short. A bright smile takes over my face. "You can cook me dinner. At your place."

"Really? I cook chili and cornbread." His eyes tighten when he realizes what I'm getting at. "Really Bella?"

"Uh huh." I smile widely. "I'll eat whatever you want to make for dinner. My only request is-"

"Berry cobbler," we say simultaneously.

"Do you know how hard it is to make that?" he huffs.

"Do you actually think you can tell me you love me and not have to actually woo me?"

"You need to be wooed? Are you even wooable?"

"Oh, I'm wooable Edward," I whisper in my most seductive voice. " Very wooable."

And with that I kiss his gaping mouth and shut the door in his face. And this time I manage not to make an ass out of myself as he shuffles out to his truck and drives out of my driveway.

**Hehe let's see just how wooable she can be shall we?**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**Chapter Ten**

I wake up to someone pounding on my front door.

I manage to shuffle out of my bedroom and to the door without running into any walls. My sleepy hand fumbles with the lock and chain before I manage to swing the door open. A yawn escapes my mouth and I hear my visitor huff impatiently as she pushes past me and plops down on the couch.

"How can you still be asleep? It's like nine-thirty!" Alice snaps.

"Good morning to you, too, Alice. To what do I owe the pleasure?" I sit on my old rocking chair and pull a throw pillow to my chest because I'm not wearing a bra and I want to be respectful.

"Jasper took the car to work and I had to come see you, so I called a cab. Do you know how expensive a fucking cab is in this part of town?" she questions. "A lot of damn money, hon. Seriously why do you like living out in the boondocks?"

"A simple call wouldn't have sufficed?" I hear the coffee machine ding and know that it will begin automatically brewing own its own.

"No. I wanted to come tell you so that I can prepare you."

"Prepare me for what?"

"Well. My brother called me last night all giddy and shit." She rolls her eyes and doesn't notice my reaction. "Told me he was leaving his girl's house. Then I go to the little Cuban place down the street to get some of their coffee, you know the thick stuff 'cause it's been one of them mornings, and guess who I see?"

"Obama?" I joke.

"No Bella!" Alice snaps her fingers as if to get me to focus. "Jessica! All over Sam, that greasy mechanic from the shop down the street."

"Okay." I hedge standing up because I can hear the coffee gurgling. "Want a cup of regular Dunkin Donuts coffee?"

Alice looks confused for a second, but stands up and follows me into the kitchen. "This is going to break him, Bella. I mean, I know you are in love with him, but he's going to be so hurt. How can you just sit here and talk about coffee when my brother is about to get crushed?"

I shrug and hand her a cup, pointing to the different fixings on the Lazy Susan that sits on the table. We sit and doctor up our coffees and I'm about to confess that I was the one that Edward was with last night. I'm his girl.

But then I worry.

What if he doesn't want to become public right away?

"Bella? Are you listening to a word I'm saying?" Alice snaps her finger in front of my face. "We have to tell him. He's going to need the two of us. Can you swallow your feelings for this or do I need to ask someone else?"

I open my mouth to answer her, but apparently I'm popular today because a familiar tap on the door interrupts our intense conversation.

"Hold that thought." I smile and rush to the door, ignoring her impatient huffs.

I stop when I reach the door and fluff my hair out. I'm grateful that I was in such high spirits last night that I went through my entire night routine and used the blow drier. My hair isn't the tangled mess it had been yesterday. Another knock on the door and I'm throwing it open.

"Morning, gorgeous."

He really needs to stop it already.

Edward's never called me anything other than Bells or Bella the entire time we've known each other. "Darlin'" would slip up every now and then, but never 'beautiful', or 'gorgeous'. I like it, but if he continues, I'm going to get a complex.

"Good morning." I fidget nervously. "Your sister's here."

"She is?" his brow furrows.

"Uh huh. Showed up here ranting and raving about cab fare because she just had to come over and tell me something." I'm trying really hard to keep a straight face during all of this. "You should come inside."

"Can I get a good morning kiss first?" he pouts.

I lean up and kiss his cheek because I was woken up rather abruptly and haven't had a chance to brush my teeth or wash my face for that matter. Standing aside I watch him take his felt cowboy hat off and I realize that he should be at the stable by now.

"Why aren't you at work?"

"I thought I'd come by and see if you wanted to ride with me. There's not much to do so when you're done we can go back to my house for our date." His voice is hopeful. "Unless you wanted to drive yourself."

"Nope. You'll have to give me time to get ready and pack up my gear. I wasn't planning on heading out there until noon." He takes off his jacket; he's wearing a deep green flannel that makes his eyes blaze.

"I can manage. I'll make you some breakfast."

"There are Pop Tarts in the pantry," I snort. "Don't set the toaster above four unless you want to burn down my kitchen."

"You're going to leave me with Mouse?" He enters the kitchen and I hear Alice's squeaky voice full of nerves greet him. Rather than getting dressed for the day, I go back into the kitchen because I have to see how this will play out.

Edward is standing at the coffee machine pouring a cup of coffee and Alice is a ball of nerves in her seat. He sits down across from her and grabs a spoon before looking up at her.

"You feeling okay?"

"Yeah," she squeaks. "I'm fine. Just fine. Why? Why wouldn't I be fine?"

"Well I've been here for..." He checks his watch. "Three minutes and you haven't squealed and jumped around or hugged the living hell out of me yet."

"Why would she do that?" I ask, grabbing my cup.

"Jessica's cheating on you!" Alice blurts out at the same time Edward says, "Didn't you tell her we're dating?"

The room goes quiet for a fraction of a second before Alice lives up to her nickname. I watch as Edward's words catch up with her before a small high pitched squeak exits her mouth. Of course it's followed by a loud squeal that reverberates through my house.

"Oh My Gawd! Really?" She bounces up and down in her chair.

Edward grabs my hand and pulls me towards him before turning to his sister. "Really."

"Really," I agree, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

Alice launches into a full on interrogation shortly after. I excuse myself to go get ready and can faintly hear her asking Edward what he has planned for tonight. He's informed her that tonight will be our first date. His voice is low, but I hear berry cobbler, and I hear her snicker.

"Edward, you can't possibly take her to your house on a first date. This is the foundation, the ground breaking of your relationship. You're going to make her boxed mac and cheese and berry cobbler?" Alice giggles.

I step into my boots forgoing lacing them up because it's too tedious and trudge back into the kitchen before Edward can argue.

"It's perfect for us, Alice. We're simple people. Why start off any differently?"

She looks from Edward to me and then back at Edward for a second before sighing. "You're so right. The both of you are incredibly boring."

"Perfect for one another," Edward defends.

"Agreed." I smile before planting a kiss on his perfect lips.

**see you laters :D**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**Ah, so I haven't replied to reviews in like 5 chapters and for that I apologize. But I have an excellent excuse.. you ready? Oh-tay here we go..**

**I've been dabbling in a little one shot and have never really done one so I'm critiquing. Is it too long? Is it too short? Do I ramble in places and fall short in others? Am I good enough? Should I just give up? UGH yes.. I'm a girl lol **

**Thanks for Betaing Caitlin! Sorry I've been M.I.A. for the past few days. I promise if you text me.. I shall answer :D **

**Chapter Eleven**

We are sitting in City Diner. It's a dingy, old, hole in the wall that's open twenty-four hours and the floor is never mopped, yet it manages to pass the health inspectors every time. As you enter the diner, your feet make disgusting sticky sounds from spilt syrup or a glass of juice that wasn't cleaned up properly and yet the diner is always busy. People love their food and the place has sentimental value to me.

"What are you thinking about, beautiful?" Edward asks, taking my hand in his across the table.

"About the morning after we met," I blush.

"Oh lord," he chuckles.

_FLASHBACK_

_The bathroom door slams shut and I manage to wade through the used paper towels towards the stained sink and disgusting mirror that seems to be covered with lipstick smears and other fluids. Even through the hazy streak covered reflection, I can tell I'm definitely shit faced. _

_My cheeks are blood red, my eyes lidded from the alcohol. _

_The door swings open, revealing my brother's girlfriend, Rosalie, holding a cocktail glass. She walks up to me, not caring that she's standing on other people's garbage, and hands me the cup. _

_"Here you go, birthday girl." _

_"Uh, I probably shouldn't," I slur, leaning against the sink heavily. _

_"Don't even think about it. A girl's twenty-first birthday is _way_ too important. Your brother and I aren't resting until you're hurling, so hop to it, Sweets." She practically force feeds the tasty cocktail down my throat. "Now, let's go back out there. I wanna teach you how to line dance." _

_"Oh no." I lean against her side as we exit the bathroom. "I'm not carbonated." _

_"Huh?" _

_"Coordinated," I correct with a hiccup. _

_"Well I'm not letting you get out of this, Sweets." She pinches my arm. "You promised. I'm covering your tab tonight, therefore you have to line dance with me." _

_"I need another drink." My giggle is cut off by yet another hiccup; it causes the cowboy hat on my head to fall slightly askew, but I'm far beyond caring at this point. _

_The country music is pounding through the small barn like structure that is The Crazy Horse. My brother insisted that instead of the boring family dinner I requested for my birthday, I needed to go out with a bang. He and Rosalie had dragged me out to The Crazy Horse and told me to have at it. _

_And I did. _

_Tequila, vodka, an embarrassing drink that made my crass older brother blush when his girlfriend ordered it. Southern Comfort was my friend though. I liked the way the whiskey burned as it slid down my throat. _

_"What'll it be, darlin'?" Emmett's big head asked before popping up on my left. "How 'bout you let me order you somethin'?" _

_"Alright. I gotta sit down real fast," I plead with Rose until she leads me over to a wall that's lined with bench seats. _

_She realizes that she's stepped in gum and asks if I will be okay for a few minutes until Emmett makes it back from the bar. I wave her off. Once she's taken off for the bathroom, I decide to rest my eyes for just a moment. _

_"Rough night?" a smooth voice asks from my left. _

_"Is my birthday," I slur without opening my eyes or even turning towards the person asking the question. _

_"Ah, twenty-first?" _

_"Is it that obvious?" I hiccup, earning a chuckle from my company. I turn my head and will my eyes to open. _

_He's blurry at first, but I finally manage to take a good look at him. Dark topaz eyes, a straight nose and wild copper hair trying to escape the black suede cowboy hat on his head. He's handsome and the smirk on his face shows that he knows it. _

_"Just a little. You here with friends?" He lifts a Bud Light bottle up to his lips and takes a sip. _

_"My brother and his girlfriend." I look around the bar and try to find them, but the room spins and I give up. "He's getting me a drink and she's in the bathroom." _

_"Ah. I'm here with my little sister." He points to the end of the bar, at a short brunette wearing a bright yellow flannel shirt and wranglers. Her boots match her shirt and the headband holding her long hair back. She's talking to the bartender that sold me my first official alcoholic beverage. "She's got the hots for the bartender and dragged me out of my dorm so that I could come play bodyguard for her." _

_"You're in school, too?" I'm really thirsty and he keeps taking a sip out of his beer. _

_Where the hell is Emmett? _

_"Yeah." _

_"What are you going for?" _

_"Equine__ Veterinarian." _

_"What's that?" I blurt out. _

_"In short terms, it's a horse vet." _

_"Aw, I like horses." I mumble. Turning towards the bar in search for my brother yet again. _

_"What are you going for?" _

_"Web design and business. I'm looking to freelance." _

_"Sounds nerdy," he snorts, pulling my hat off of my head. _

_"Well... I don't even know your name." I stand on wobbly legs. "If you're going to insult a girl on her birthday over her career choice, no wonder you're alone, sitting in the dark corner of a club while your sister gets her flirt on with the hot bartender." _

_By the time I'm in the middle of my rant, I've forgotten what my initial point was about, so I turn and walk towards the bar, ignoring the ignorant male behind me. I check my phone to find that it's nearly three in the morning. Thank God my birthday fell on a Friday; I'll have a day and a half to recover from tonight. _

_I find Emmett and Rosalie at the bar gathering up a few shots on a corkboard tray. My brother hands me what will be the last drink of the night because my body can't handle any more. _

_"It's sparkly," I comment, holding it up to the light. _

_"It's Goldschläger," Emmett beams and lifts my hand up to my mouth. _

_The cinnamon burns worse. I remind myself that come morning, if I haven't sworn off all alcohol, I'll stick with Southern Comfort. _

_We end up leaving the club soon after. Emmett's starving to death so we stop at City Diner and take up a table in the back because I'm inebriated to the point of delirium and we don't want to cause a scene. I've just gotten my biscuits and gravy when someone sits in the empty chair next to me and places something on my head. _

_"You forgot your hat, birthday girl. And my name is Edward." _

**_END FLASHBACK_**

"Thinking back to that day, did you ever think we'd be here today?" he asks, stealing a piece of my bacon.

"Well I was annoyed with you at first, especially when you stole half my food." I poke his hand with my fork as he tries to steal a bite of my biscuits and gravy.

"Hmm. Well I loved you from the second I saw you at The Crazy Horse. When did you change your mind about me?" he asks, his head cocked to the side.

"When you invited me back to your dorm room for a _Shaun of the Dead_ marathon."

"Really, Bella?" Edward snorts. "Zombies?"

"I love zombies! You're the only one that understands my sick infatuation with the living dead." I grab his hand and kiss where I've stabbed him. "I don't really know when. I remember you calling me that night to make sure I got in safely and then we stayed on the phone until you passed out. I told you I loved you before I hung up."

"You did?"

"Yep. Now eat your food. I don't want to be late for my appointment with Maggie," I wink, spearing a piece of melon from his fruit bowl and pop it into my mouth.

"You're cute," he smirks.

"And you eat like a turtle. Hurry up."

**I heart that flashback :D **

**I heart reviews almost more ... so press the wicked little button and leave me some love :D**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**This will most likely be the last update until Monday. I'm ready to snap crackle and pop at everyone and anyone that crosses me today so I'm going to take a nice mini vacation. And by mini vacation I mean locking myself in my bedroom with pints of TCBY frozen yogurt and my stack of Twilight and Harry Potter DVD's. **

**Thanks so much Liz, for proofreading my stuff and putting up with my random emails :D I might send you something a little later.. just cause I like you **

**Chapter Twelve**

Cupcake is my favorite out of all the horses at the stable.

She's a blonde Shetland pony so she's literally shorter than I am and as sweet as can be, fitting her name to a T. Maggie bought Cupcake for her granddaughter, Jane, a few years back, but when her son-in-law got a job out of state, the family relocated and Maggie couldn't bring herself to get rid of the horse. Jane visits every now and then, but now that her family is living in New York, it wouldn't be feasible to move Cupcake.

Shortcake's conception wasn't planned. One of the stable hands that worked for Maggie, before she hired Jasper on, had unknowingly let Cupcake graze in the same pasture as three Stallions and before anyone had caught on, it was too late. Jane was beside herself to learn that her pony was having a baby, but Maggie was furious.

"Hi Cupcake," Edward says in a soothing manner as we enter the foaling stall.

Cupcake is standing in the middle of the stall while Shortcake nurses. As soon as the door shuts the little colt tenses up and shyly shuffles behind his mother.

"Oh, he's so cute!" I breathe, reaching out to give Cupcake the apple I brought for her as a present. "Hi sweet girl."

She calmly takes the apple from my hand and allows me the pleasure of running my hand through her long mane. Once the apple is gone, she starts nuzzling me, nipping at me in search for more apples. Edward laughs when she pulls at my shirt and hands her the apple he's brought.

Shortcake stays close to his mother, but I'm able to get a good look. He's got her blonde hair, but his short stubby mane is darker. They aren't sure which stallion fathered him, but it's not a big deal because he won't be for sale or show.

Edward checks his naval to ensure there's no infection and then checks Cupcake over while I snap a few pictures of the colt. I'm able to coax him away from his mother and he follows me on wobbly legs into the light. Maggie is waiting for us outside because she doesn't want to make Shortcake nervous with so many people being around.

Cupcake keeps one eye on her baby as I circle him with my camera, flickering off every couple of seconds. She's on alert, even though I'm not a threat, and I can already tell Cupcake was born to be a mother.

Eventually Shortcake gets finicky, so Edward decides that we should leave mother and son alone to rest. I give Cupcake a quick pat before following Edward out of the door.

"Oh Maggie, he's beautiful!" I gush as soon as I see her freckled face surrounded by a huge mess of red curls.

"Thanks, girl." She gives me a quick hug before pulling away and staring at my hand that's still attached to Edward's. "Well, I'll be damned! When did this happen?"

"Very new," I explain, not wanting to get into a time specific conversation.

"Well about dang time the two of you decided to stop skirtin' around each other like a bunch of chickenshits," she chuckles. "I'm glad. The two of you remind me of me and Liam."

"Where is he by the way?" Edward asks. "I need to talk to him about that order of hay he received last week. It didn't look healthy; we might have to switch suppliers."

"He's around here somewhere. Why don't you take a look in the tack room while Bella and I head back up to the cabin to get something to drink and talk business? That is if the two of you can let go of one another for twenty minute intervals."

She snorts when Edward and I immediately let go of one another's hands. He's smiling like a mad man and I'm blushing like a retard. "See you later beautiful." His lips press against my forehead. "Bye Mags."

"Bye, lover boy!" She waves before turning to me. "Let's go get some hot white chocolate sug'."

My smile widens.

"That's my favorite part about visiting you in the winter months," I joke while we trek back across the snowing ground to the giant monstrosity she jokingly calls a cabin.

"I've noticed." She hip checks me. "And the fact that I pay you doesn't hurt."

"You know that's not true, Maggie." I'm immediately offended. "If I didn't have bills to pay and other responsibilities I wouldn't charge anyone."

"I was kidding, sug'," she laughs. "We all know the only reason why you spend so much time out here isn't because of the money or the hot white chocolate."

"It's not?"

"No, and it sure as hell isn't because of the horses. Edward practically forced me into hiring you when he started here," she says, giving me a wink. "It was an excellent choice because we've managed to pick up and actually start making a profit around here, but yeah, babe, you wouldn't be around here half as often as you are if lover boy didn't work here."

"Maybe you're right," I agreed, because it's true. "But that doesn't mean you're not my friend."

"Oh, I know that, darlin'. Anyone that knows you is blessed. You're a wonderful person inside and out." She looks out across the pasture and we both catch sight of Liam and Edward coaxing one of the new stallions back into the barn. "He's a wonderful person, too, sug'. It was inevitable you two getting together."

"You really think it's a good thing?" I ask softly. "We've loved each other for a long time, but transitioning from friendship to a dating relationship is weird to me. What if something happens and we end up ruining seven years of friendship?"

"What if the sky were to fall right now? What if I fell off a horse and was paralyzed tomorrow?" Maggie turns to me, her aged eyes full of wisdom. "You can't live with the 'what ifs', Bella, or you're going to set yourself for an early grave. And as far as your worries about the transition, it's all nothing."

"How is it nothing?"

I watch Edward and Liam as they head toward the cabin. Their laughing about something but I can't hear them from where I stand.

"There's nothing to worry about because there wasn't any need for a transition. Your partner, your lover, your husband should always be your friend. And you're one of the lucky ones. The two of you got to start off as the best of friends and that will only multiply as you get closer."

She waves to Liam. He catches the two of us standing where we are and blows a kiss. I watch Maggie smile and pretend to catch it and put it in her nonexistent shirt pocket. She blows him a kiss and he follows the same suit.

"God, I love that man," she murmurs.

"That's obvious," I giggle as I pull my computer out of its bag.

"Did you know that my marrying Liam was arranged by our fathers?" she asks, sitting across from me while I set up my computer and camera so that we can get to work.

"No."

"Well it was. I was forced to marry him the day after I turned eighteen and I spent the majority of my wedding night and the following weeks after that crying in that bathroom." She points to the hall bathroom. "Somehow Liam convinced me into coming out of my hiding place and it took a long time, but I grew to love him. Three years to be exact."

"Three years?" I exclaimed. I'm flabbergasted. "You lived with him for three years before you loved him?"

"Yes. But now he's my best friend and the love of my life. I used to question my choices. What if I'd given in and been happy about being forced to marry him? What if I'd begged for a divorce the second we left the courthouse? And then I realized that you can't live with the 'what ifs'." Her eyes grow misty. "You're lucky you've fallen in love with your best friend, Bella. It might have taken almost a decade for the two of you to become more, but it was meant to be this way."

My eyes are swimming with tears as the front door of the cabin opens. Maggie turns towards the sink to start the process of making her hot white chocolate and I wipe under my eyes, just in case, before jumping into my work head first. Liam and Edward don't notice the emotional moment we'd been having before their arrival as they sit at the bar and wait for their drinks.

Two hours later I'm hugging Maggie goodbye as she gushes over the wonderful job I've done on her website. Edward helps me into my coat and we bid her and Liam a goodnight before leaving.

"So what did you and Mags talk about?"

"Girl stuff." I smile remembering the words Maggie had whispered in my ear while Liam and Edward were washing the dishes from our impromptu lunch.

_'A perfect friendship over seven years old could transition into a passionate loving relationship. You just have to let it happen, sug'. No questions asked. No what ifs.'_

**I'm not one for dragging shit on and on (I think it's partly to do with my attention disorder) so yeah don't expect much angst..**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**Hi lovelies. I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day... Mine consisted of battling a migraine, having my estranged grandmother's daughter in law stare at the tattoos on my body like I was from a different planet and spending one on one time with my furbaby Rabbit :D.. it was a pretty good day**

**Everyone should pop in over at momma2fan's page and read her new story that is also currently my addiction! http:/www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/s/8076125/1/ it's got Soldierward and motorcycles *licks lips* yummy yes!**

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter Thirteen**

Edward's kitchen consists of a sink, fridge, stove, a microwave and a toaster oven. All of which are provided by the leasing office. He's probably used the stove five times in the past two years he's lived here because the man can barely cook anything palpable. His mother taught him a few things, but the only successful dish he's able to crank out at will is a pot of chili, cornbread from box mix and berry cobbler.

He uses blueberries, blackberries and strawberries from a can and Bisquick mix, but I love it.

Five and a half years ago for Thanksgiving, my mother decided to spend the holiday at a homeless shelter up north so that she could get a feel for the piece she was writing for her local newspaper. My father was currently trying to make sense of his triple bypass and the fact that he was moving into a house with a woman ten years his junior that still had children living at home, so he neglectfully forgot to invite me up north. My brother and Rosalie had just gotten married and were up in Alaska with Rose's family, so I was alone.

Edward and Alice insisted that I go home with them for the holiday, but not one to want to intrude, I bowed out last minute and planned on spending my Thanksgiving alone in a booth at City Diner.

That was the first year I learned what I real family was.

Edward's mother showed up at my dorm by herself and told me that I was to get in the car within five minutes or she'd tan my hide. I spent the two hour drive listening to Esme go on about how her children were sulking around her house because I refused to come.

The Cullens were traditional people. Thanksgiving was a giant deal in their household, complete with the huge turkey and a hundred different sides. Another tradition ended up being Edward's berry cobbler.

Every year after that I spent most holidays with the Cullens, unless my mother happened to be in the area and then I'd invite her to my house. More than once I've showed up on the Cullens doorstep in the middle of their holiday dinner because my mother conveniently forgot that she had plans with me. And every time I showed up, there would be a plate in the oven waiting for me to join in as if I'd been there the entire time. I stopped crying in gratitude around the fourth time that had happened.

Right now I'm sitting on a stool watching Edward as he paces around his kitchen, gathering all of the proper utensils and ingredients.

"How did you learn how to make berry cobbler?" I ask, opening the cans of berries he'd placed in front of me, along with a manual can opener.

"Truth or lie?" he asks as he opens a can of steamed tomatoes and dumps it into the pot on the stove.

"Truth." I lick the lid of the blackberries as he begins chopping up the onion at the sink.

"Well, when I was a sophomore in high school and Alice was a freshman, she came home with a little baggy of marijuana that one of the kids in her class had given her." The tips of his ears turn pink. "She convinced me to partake and I did, resulting in a ridiculous case of the munchies for me and an annoying as hell case of the giggles for her."

He begins mimicking a stoned Alice giggle that has me clutching my stomach and wiping tears of mirth from my cheeks. He smirks at me before turning back to his onion. "Anyway, Alice was too high to cook anything; she kept holding a loaf of bread and laughing and I didn't want cereal, the only thing I knew how to cook at the time," he winks. "So I pulled out a bunch of stuff and just sort of threw it together and berry cobbler ended up being the end result."

"Are you lying?" I ask quizzically, because the story sounds a little fabricated.

"God's honest truth. Call Mouse if you don't believe me," he challenges, knowing too well that I'm not calling his sister. She's far too nosy for her own good and has already called both of our phones three times, resulting in us putting them on vibrate and leaving them by the front door.

I sit back and watch him put together a pot of one alarm chili because I'm a wuss and am not good with spicy foods. He puts me to work when I make fun or critique something he does, so I soon find myself stirring the Bisquick mix with a fork and brute strength or shredding a block of cheddar cheese.

"I can't believe you actually have a cheese grater," I snort.

"Shut it, woman."

"Really Edward," I giggle. "How is it that you have a cheese grater, but no pot holders?"

The man almost burned the shit out of himself pulling the cornbread out of the oven using an old T-shirt.

"I don't know." He shrugs. "If it wasn't for you and your well stocked kitchen, I'd be living off take out every night instead of the six out of seven."

"Hey, I cook."

"I know. You cook exceptionally well. It's just not very often. Here. Taste this," he directs, holding out a spoon of chili.

"Is it hot?"

"No, I blew on it," he snorts, pressing the spoon to my lips. "Open up."

I groan as the chili slides down my throat. "How do you do that, Edward? I've watched you burn chicken noodle soup from a can and almost start a fire in my kitchen making a grilled cheese, yet you can make chili from scratch with no problem."

"I don't know," he laughs.

I watch him put the cobbler together and place it in the oven before dishing out two bowls of chili. I grab the bottle of Strawberry Hills Boone's Farm wine that I brought here a few months ago as a joke. Edward doesn't have any wine glasses, so we're using mason jars to drink crappy wine while we eat our food.

Edward makes cheesy toast, mentioning something about many more dinner dates to come, with the exception that I cook, before we tuck in to our meals.

His socked foot rubs against mine in the same pattern as his hand ticks, but I don't say anything. He laughs when a string of melted cheese gets stuck to my chin and it's like nothing's changed. I realize that Maggie was right.

"What?" Edward asks, rubbing his mouth. "Do I have chili on my face?"

"No. I'm just glad you're my best friend," I smile.

"Me, too, darlin'."

The oven timer goes off while I'm washing the bowls out. Edward uses his home made pot holder and manages to get the cobbler out without burning himself. We both break out in applause when the pan is safely on the counter, and the fact that we're so in tune with each other makes me laugh.

Edward serves me a big helping before pulling a small tub of vanilla bean ice cream out of his freezer. He dollops some on each bowl and I watch as it begins melting immediately into the steaming cobbler.

"Back to the living room?" he asks.

"No. Let's take it to the bedroom." I grab my bowl and hop off of my stool and head down the hallway.

**l8ters :D**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**so everyone thought that they are about to have some hot hanky panky... and for that I'm sorry... not really .. haha enjoy (I've had too much coffee today to function properly)**

**Enjoy**

**Chapter 14**

"Got any sevens?"

….

"Edward?"

….

"Edward!" I yell.

He jumps almost losing his grip on the cards in his hand. "What?"

"Do you have any sevens?"

"Oh. No, go fish," he chuckles as his cheeks grow red.

"Where were you?" I poke his foot with mine.

"Nowhere. Just distracted," he mumbles.

"Oh no... now you have to tell me," I demand. He shakes his head and lowers it. "Oh no, sir." I pinch his leg with my toes. "You better tell me before I start guessing and we both know how wild my imagination can get."

"You're wearing my boxers, Bella," he confesses, his cheeks now a brilliant red, making him look absolutely adorable.

"So. I wear your boxers all the time."

"Yeah, but back then you weren't mine." His hand shoots out and grasps my ankle.

I yelp as he yanks me across the bed so that I'm practically in his lap. He runs his hand up my leg and I thank God I shaved last night before I passed out because that would be embarrassing. His boxers are big on me in the waist area, so I had to fold them over a couple of times to make them fit, making them shorter than average. I grow heated as his hand skirts against the hem of the leg.

"Back then I could look, but I couldn't touch." His nose skims against mine. "I could fantasize, but I couldn't act on it." His lips are against mine. "I could imagine, but I couldn't taste."

Oh, dear Lord, this man is something else.

Before I can say anything, he's pulling me into a dominating kiss and I forget to breathe. Who needs air when they can have Edward Cullen?

He pulls the chopsticks out of my hair and it falls down my back. My arms wrap around his shoulders, my hands braiding into the hair on the nape of his neck as our tongues collide. My body is telling me to continue and give in to the evident lust we share, but the logical side is warning me that we need to slow down before we get ahead of ourselves. Sure we've known each other for forever and a day, but jumping in the sack isn't a smart move.

Luckily Edward and I are pretty much one in the same and he pulls back a little. Our passionate sexy make out session fizzles out into a sweet and tender kiss. His hands are no longer on my legs, but instead they sit comfortably on my hips.

We've eaten our cobbler and watched an old movie that neither of us had seen in years. We'd gone from sipping cheap wine to a couple of rum and cokes, so it's decided that I'll be spending the night.

We're not drunk, but I've got a great buzz going and I'm thankful both of us are on the same page because a couple of more drinks and I'd lose my level headed demeanor. I had changed into a pair of his underwear and a shirt I'd left over here at some point. Rather than turning on another movie, Edward had pulled out a deck of cards and asked if I wanted to play, which leads us to this moment.

"I think it's safe to say that I won that round," he chuckles, peeling a card off of my thigh that I didn't realize was there. "There's that seven you were looking for."

"Hardy har har." I roll my eyes, snatching the card from him and shoving it into the pack.

Edward pulls the edge of the blanket out from under the pillows and we both climb inside the warmth.

"I don't think I've ever laid down for bed at eight PM. Even when I was a kid," he chuckles, hugging me to his body.

I cuddle into his embrace. "Me neither."

"So as far as dates go, how did we do tonight?" he asks after a couple of minutes of silence.

"You got me in your bed on the first date. I think we can say it went pretty well." We laugh. "Wanna turn on a movie?" I ask, tracing the outline of the tattoo above his heart.

Edward's not wearing a shirt. I'm used to it though. Ever since he was little he can't sleep with a shirt on. I'm not complaining.

"Why? Am I boring you?" He grabs my hand and kisses it.

"No. I'm worried that I'm boring you."

"Hmm, well you're lying in my bed, wearing my underwear. How would that bore me?"

"'Cause nothing is going to happen," I press. "And I've laid in your bed with you before."

"But this time it's different, woman. You're not my platonic friend anymore." His hand trails down my back and caresses the curve of my ass. "You're lying in my bed, in my arms."

"I like it," I mumble, resisting the urge to arch against his touch.

"Me, too."

We fall into a peaceful silence, but I'm not ready to go to sleep just yet. "Edward?"

"Hmm?"

"How different do you think it would have been if we'd confessed our feelings for each other back then?"

"Well if we'd confessed, I reckon we'd have dated for a while." His hand is rubbing my back, but starts trailing upwards. "Maybe moved into an apartment together." He grasps my left hand in his. "I definitely would have proposed by now. So if everything went well and you said yes, we'd probably be married by now. Maybe starting a family if we hadn't already."

His words hold so much truth. It makes my heart ache that at this point in time I could have had the American dream had I not been such a chicken shit.

"I would have said yes," I whisper thickly. "And you bet your ass we'd have the family you've always dreamed of."

"We will have it, Bells."

"What if I want it right now?" I blurt out before I can catch myself.

We both freeze. We both stop breathing.

But I know it's true. I want it all.

I want to move Edward into my house so that we fall asleep like this every night whether it's eight o'clock at night or three in the morning. I want the southern wedding I know he deserves and the bittersweet honeymoon. I want to be impatiently pacing the bathroom floor waiting for the timer to go off, to watch him shakily pick up the small white stick that would foresee our near futures. And it doesn't scare me that I want it right now. It only scares me that he might not.

Eventually we're able to find our bearings. I'm a little shaken, but Edward seems fine. He takes my hands in his and kisses my lips before whispering, "Then I'd say okay."

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**For a couple of reasons I've decided to schedule updates... I put too much pressure on myself in order to update daily and get butthurt when the turn out isn't all that great (yeah I'm selfish) so I'm going to try a Thursday and Sunday update schedule for a little while. So that I can focus on writing my current obsession and get out of the house for a bit as well.**

**Chapter Fifteen**

I wake up in Edward's arms feeling well rested and happier than I can ever remember being. He's still asleep and I don't want to wake him up so I remain as still as possible, watching his chest rise and fall with each breath. I watch his mouth curve upward minutely for a second as if his sleep is filled with good things.

**_Flashback:_**

_"Did you just propose to me?" I ask in a shaky voice._

_"No, darlin'." He kisses my nose. "But now that I know we're both on the same page, I gotta warn you that it will happen soon."_

_"How would that be a warning?" I lean up and kiss his lips. "I'd marry you tomorrow if you asked me, Edward."_

_"I know and that's why I'm going to wait," he says, squeezing me to his chest. "I know the suspense will kill you and I'd like to introduce you to my family as my girlfriend before we get hitched."_

_"You want to marry me?" I ask unnecessarily._

_"I want so much more than that, beautiful," he vows. "I want you to have my last name. I want to wake up to you every morning and come home to you every night. I want to be able to kiss you or make love to you any time one of us feels the urge. I want to have babies with you and I want to raise them to be wonderful people like their mother."_

_By the time he's finished talking I'm in tears._

_Our kisses are languid, but they don't go any farther than that. We eventually pull away still connected by our limbs and fall into a peaceful sleep. He tells me he loves me before I succumb._

**_End Flashback_**

My mind starts going over the possibilities.

Edward could propose tomorrow at his parent's New Year's party. He wants to introduce me to his family as his girlfriend. He didn't say how long he wants that title to hold. He could wake up right now and ask me to get in the car so that we could head over to the Cullen Estate right now to get it over with and I would.

I should know by now that Edward is never going to do what I expect. The man is completely frustrating.

We spend the entire day before New Year's Eve cuddled up in his bed and I try to get him to make love to me, but he's persistent that the time isn't right. We order take out and eat the left over cobbler. I don't change out of his boxers until the next afternoon when he takes me back to my place so that I can get ready for the Cullens' party. We plan on staying the night there, so I pack a bag while he waits in the living room and he takes it out to the car while I shower and choose a dress for the occasion.

Part of me is hoping that the night will end with a proposal, even if it's only been days, so I choose a sexy sleeveless black dress and a nice pair of flats. Add a few trinkets, like the diamond earrings he gave me the night I graduated college and a necklace that I found at a pawn shop a couple months back, and I'm ready to go.

Alice is beside herself when we enter the house. We aren't holding hands because we're each carrying an overnight bag and I'm clutching my jacket closed because I'm freezing. She takes one look at us and informs us that we'd better tell Esme before she explodes and outs us to the world.

The party has already started and I'm a nervous wreck when Edward leads me towards the kitchen after we drop our things off in his childhood bedroom. Esme is plating a tray of finger foods while Carlisle pops the corks on several bottles of champagne. She looks up for a second to greet us and then looks back down, before snapping her head back up, her gaze locked on Edward's hand that's clutched in mine. The food is forgotten and she's around the island before I can blink.

"It's about damn time," she cries.

Edward and I both roll our eyes because it's not the first time we've heard that statement. She asks us how long it's been going on and before I can answer, Edward answers that it's been a while. Carlisle, never a talkative one, merely gives an accepting nod in our direction before turning back to his bottles.

We're set to work, plating food for Esme and carrying them out to the banquet room where all of the guests are waiting. They've invited more people that last year and I'm glad to see a few familiar faces.

Two in particular stand out the most and I feel my heart lodge in my stomach when I recognize them.

"Daddy," I breathe.

"Hey there," he greets awkwardly, giving me a stiff hug before returning back to his wife's side.

"Sue." I hold my hand out, but she merely ignores it and I let it fall to my side. "What are you two doing here?"

"Well... Esme called a few weeks ago and invited us. The kids are off doing their own thing so we decided to check it out," my father explains.

"Oh." I set the plate of deviled eggs on the table and clasp my hands together.

My relationship with my father has always been strained. He missed out on a lot of my childhood once my mother left him and took Emmett and I with her. He was a wonderful father on the off times we ever got to see him. Then he met Sue, his current wife, and under her insistence, adopted her children. I always felt that he tried very hard to make up for his lack of parenting my brother and I with Leah and Seth, and in doing so, he all but severed the ties between his old family.

The year he got married, Emmett disowned him and requested that I never talk about the sperm donor.

The year he forgot to invite me to Thanksgiving was the last holiday I attempted to attend and he never tried to insist. Nowadays, he doesn't even reach out an invitation.

I'm beginning to grow nervous under Sue's scrutinizing stare. Her daughter is currently in her first year of medical school and engaged to a wealthy business man. She's also seven years younger than me. Sue never understood my career choice and couldn't seem to wrap her mind around the fact that I was quickly approaching thirty and I've never had a long term relationship. She makes it known quite well that I'm not her favorite person and in this very second I want to be anywhere but here.

A warm arm wraps itself around my waist and I immediately relax. A kiss is pressed to my neck and I shiver. "Hey there, beautiful." Edward's voice is full of love and sincerity. "I was wondering where you ran off to."

He knows my relationship with the two people standing in front of us is strained. I'm hoping that he's come to cart me off to socialize with someone else... anyone else, but Edward always does the opposite.

"Oh Charlie!" he exclaims, holding his hand out towards my father. "I'm sorry I didn't see you there. Then again Bella's in the room; it's hard to focus on anything else but her."

I blush.

Edward's being dramatically nice.

My father smiles as he shakes Edward's hand.

Sue's eyes narrow.

"Bella... I didn't know you were dating anyone," she comments icily.

I'm about to ask her how the hell it's any of her damn business, but Edward cuts me off and explains that we've kept to ourselves lately.

"You know how love is. I want her all to myself." He squeezes me closer to him and I know it's in an effort to shield me.

"Hmm," is the only reaction we get out of Sue.

"That's wonderful, Bella," my dad says. "How serious is this?"

Sue's head perks up at my father's rather personal question.

"Oh, very serious, sir," Edward answers before I can. "In fact, Bells and I were just talking about starting a family."

"Shouldn't you be married first?" Sue asks Edward, but glaring at me.

"Of course," my loving boyfriend replies, kissing the top of my head.

"Well, you know when Jared was planning on proposing to our Leah, he took Charlie to a cigar room and asked for permission." Sue's head cocks to the side. "You haven't contacted Charlie in any way," she tsks.

"With all do respect, ma'am, I was raised with southern values and I do believe that before asking for a woman's hand in marriage, a gentlemen should first consult her father for his approval," Edward chuckles humorlessly before looking my father dead in the eye. "But I also believe there's more to fatherhood than donating the sperm that helps create the child. So in our case we need no approval from her father's side. I'll consult Renee and Emmett when the time comes."

Sue's face turns blood red and my father looks ashamed because he knows Edward's right.

Edward steers me away from them without another word. We both get a glass of wine from the open bar. He asks me numerous times if I'm alright and I reply that I am each time because it's the truth. My dad and his wife leave without saying goodbye to anyone and that's fine with me.

I share numerous dances with the man I love and when the clock strikes midnight, he kisses me with so much love and tenderness that I hope he makes the night all the more special with that small, but important, question. But he doesn't ask and by the time we fall into bed, I'm okay with his decision to hold off because I know it will happen.

**Now while the dramas with Edward and Bella are over... her family is an entirely different story.**

**You have been warned!**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**Carlisle cracks me up in this chapter... his character was a pleasant surprise when I brought him in but yeah.. so funny**

**Chapter Sixteen**

Esme is staring at the two of us with a weird smile on her face. Ever since we stumbled downstairs the second the smell of coffee hit our nostrils, she's had one eye on us at all time. It's making me nervous, but I don't say anything.

Edward on the other hand...

"Mom, what's goin' on?" he asks, causing her to jump half a foot in the air, her orange juice sloshing down the front of her apron.

"What? Nuthin'," she stammers.

"Nuthin'? You've been staring at us since we woke up and it's getting a little annoying."

"Fine," she huffs. "I heard what you said last night to Charlie and that dreadful woman and I wanna know if you were serious, that's all."

"Every bit of it," Edward says defiantly, lifting my hand that he'd been holding in his lap so that it rests on top of the table. "I'm gonna ask Bells and she's gonna say yes when I do."

"And about startin' a family?" Esme leans over, her elbow resting on the table.

"I said every bit of it," Edward nods. "We aren't gettin' any younger."

"We want a big family so we need to start soon," I mumble awkwardly.

"Well y'all," Esme wipes a tear from her eye. "I always knew the two of you would get together. It just took so damn long. I already see Bella as a part of the family, so you can start on makin' me some grandbabies tomorrow and I'll be happy."

Edward chokes on his bagel and I turn four different shades of red in embarrassment.

Esme's nothing if not subtle.

"I know Alice isn't going to be poppin' out any babies any time soon, what with her and Jasper's financial situation, so you two go right ahead." She takes a good look at the two of us. "You're gonna make some pretty babies."

Carlisle walks into the kitchen, takes one look at an emotional Esme and turns back towards the way he came in.

"I want to be married before you impregnate me," I whisper in Edward's ear while Esme gains control over herself.

"I can't promise anything," he chuckles.

Cue the ever present blush.

Alice and Jasper eventually crawl out of their bedroom, looking worse for wear. Her usual straight and perfect hair is one big fuzzy mess around her clearly hung over face and she sort of looks like a lion.

Jasper has a pair of sunglasses on and seems to be clutching his stomach. Both of their complexions are a little green, so I point to the farthest seats away from where we're sitting.

"Down there. Grab a bucket just in case," I insist.

"Shut it, Bella," Alice croaks against the table she's now laying on.

"Alice, pick your head up and eat some toast."

At the mention of food, the suffering couple both groan. Esme chuckles darkly and stands up to grab a pot and wooden spoon. Luckily she's given fair warning and both Edward and I have our hands covering our ears before she starts banging on it like a banshee.

She's on her second round around the kitchen when Jasper jumps up and runs down the hall towards the bathroom. Alice is in tears.

"Why momma?" she cries.

"Because I warned both of you that I would do this if you got carried away," Esme explains. "Don't think I didn't see the two of you sneaking that bottle of Captain up the stairs in the middle of my party. You weren't even downstairs when the ball dropped."

"I'm an adult."

Esme bangs on the pot again, but this time my hands aren't covering my ears. Alice's whimpers can barely be heard.

"Excuse me?" Esme asks politely.

"I'm sorry, momma," Alice groans against the table.

"That's right. Now stop crying all over my dinner table and pick your head up." She picks up a piece of buttered toast, puts it on a plate and sets it in front of Alice. "I'll get you a cup of coffee."

"Thanks, momma," Alice murmurs.

Edward is cackling next to me like a mad man.

"Shut up, Edward!" Alice growls around her piece of toast.

"What's wrong, Mouse?" he says a little louder than necessary.

"I feel like a pile of poo," she pouts. "And you're not helping, jerk."

"You know what I think, Bells?" Edward asks, pulling my hand to his mouth and kissing it.

"What's that, Edward?"

"I think you should teach me how to fry bacon this morning." He snickers when Alice groans, covering her mouth. "Or maybe some sausage. Ooh, how about for lunch you teach me how to braise some fi-"

Alice jumps up and runs down the hallway, crashing into a very pale Jasper in her haste. Esme, Edward and I are laughing our asses off when he sits down at the end of the table and grabs a piece of toast.

"What did I miss?"

We just shake our heads and he nibbles on his toast. Esme cracks a few eggs and starts her frittata. I'm grateful that Edward and I didn't get carried away with our drinks last night because I can't wait to eat her meal before we head back home. Carlisle slinks in at some point; first his head pokes around the corner to make sure there are no tears being shed and then his entire body. He sits next to me at the table without a word.

In the almost six years I've known him, he's never held a conversation with me and most of his comments towards me are the casual forced greetings on holidays or birthdays. Esme serves everyone as Alice comes back into the kitchen, looking a little better than she had before. She glares at the plate of frittata and then at Edward before joining Jasper for a dry breakfast of toast.

We all tuck in to our meals when I feel a calm unfamiliar hand touch my own.

"Your daddy doesn't deserve someone as wonderful as you, darlin'," Carlisle whispers in my ear. "Esme was truthful when she said you were already a part of this family."

Tears pool in my eyes and I lift my head to look into the calm blue eyes of a man that's never willingly spoken to me in the entire time I've ever known him. "Thanks, Carlisle." I choke on a sob before I'm pulled into the warm embrace of the father figure I wished for growing up.

Carlisle lets me cry for a few minutes and for a man that doesn't handle emotion well, he gives great hugs. He pats my back until my sobs are reduced to sniffles.

When we pull apart the rest of the table is quiet, but they are respectful and don't acknowledge the emotional moment I just shared with Carlisle. Edward's hand slinks under the table and squeezes my knee in a reassuring manner. I grab his hand and squeeze it tightly before turning back to my breakfast without letting go.

**Aweee**

**see yah next time lovelies :D**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**this is a more serious chapter. A closer look into the lives outside of Bella and Edward's somewhat perfect bubble.. not everything is perfect**

**I'm going on vacation Friday until Sunday so I figured I'd toss a couple of celebratory chapters out for you.**

**In case your wondering I'm going to Orlando for three days, There's a zombie walk (in which you dress up like a zombie and hoard through town), The Rocky Horror Picture Show (most favorite movie in the whole wide world) with a shadow cast (I've never been to something live like this sooo if you have let me know what to expect) and then the Spooky Empire convention.. google it :D  
SOO EXCITED**

**Chapter Seventeen**

"What does my dear brother have planned for V Day?" Alice asks as we make our way down the cereal aisle of the local grocery store. The car that she and Jasper own is currently in the shop. Jasper has been riding into the stable with Edward and I've offered up my services as personal taxi for Alice when I'm not elbow deep in work. Today we decided that we both needed a little grocery retail shopping.

She throws a few different boxes into her cart while I search for a specific kind. Bingo. Raisin Bran with an extra scoop of raisins. I toss the box into the cart.

"He won't tell me."

It's been a month and a half and mine and Edward's relationship is perfect. We argue like we did before, only this time the make ups don't consist of a foot massage or double fudge brownies.

No.

Now once our arguments are resolved we're shoving our tongues down one another's throats and we're groping each other something fierce.

"Hmm. Jasper and I are just doing something low key; probably dinner and a movie." She shrugs and grabs a jar of peanut butter. "Edward's such a romantic; he's probably got something spectacular planned."

"I hope so," I mumble bitterly.

"What's that?" Alice asks.

"Oh, nothing," I laugh.

We make our way through the produce, bagging different fruits and veggies up. I make sure to get a few extra bananas because Edward's been getting leg cramps at night. A month and a half and Edward hasn't brought up the marriage topic again. Here lately, I've noticed that my attention is drawn to anything baby related, but he hasn't proposed and our physical relationship hasn't ventured under the clothes yet.

Bella Swan is one sad, horny, sack of pitiful.

Dairy and frozen foods are our last stop. I decide that tonight I'm going to cook something good for Edward to eat because I've been busy the past few nights and he's had to fend for himself. He hasn't fully moved into my house, but every day I notice something hanging around that wasn't there before.

First it was mostly clothes, but now I'm starting to notice other personal things, like a pair of slippers he likes to wear in the morning, toiletries that he won't have to cart back and forth on the off chance he decides to sleep at his apartment.

I grab four different types of cheese, deciding that Mexican is probably the best way to go tonight. I've already gotten the other ingredients for enchiladas, so once I get sour cream I'm done for this shopping trip.

"Jasper's been doing really well at the stable," Alice comments out of the blue as we check over our shopping lists to make sure we haven't forgotten something. "He's so much happier there."

"Maggie loves him," I comment.

"Yeah, we're finally getting back on our feet since I lost my job at the firm."

Alice used to work for a well-known law firm until she found herself in a case against them over sexual harassment charges. Overnight she went from being a receptionist to being a victim of a grabby lawyer.

Luck apparently wasn't on her side because she lost the case and her job in the same day, resulting in Jasper carrying the two of them on a bartender's paycheck.

They didn't let anyone know they were struggling until it was too late and Alice had to sell the car she'd received for graduation to help pay the bills. Esme and Carlisle managed to help them find their bearings and Edward convinced Maggie into hiring Jasper on. The job wasn't anything spectacular, just mucking stalls and other manual labor around the stable, but it was a steady paycheck that paid more than a good night of bartending and tips. Alice was currently working at the local dime store, but her hours weren't very stable and there were times when she showed up only to be sent home because they couldn't afford to pay her for the day.

"That's great, Alice." I hip check her as we make our way to the checkout lanes. She spots an open lane a few rows away from the one I've decided on.

"Hey smiley," Lauren greets from behind the counter.

"Hi." I quirk my eyebrow.

"Oh, don't even. You've been smiling like a mad hatter ever since the carnival." She's sitting on a stool and her hand rests on her giant belly. My eyes hone in on her pregnant stomach and I feel a pang of jealousy and a desperate yearning.

"Hello?" the teenager waiting to bag the groceries asks, snapping his fingers. "Paper or plastic?"

"Oh, paper please," I mumble, turning back to Lauren and her pregnancy glow. "How are you doing?"

"Great. Just waiting for little Tyler to just come already." She pats her belly as she scans the last few items.

I swipe my bank card and help the bag boy load up my cart, declining on assistance to my car. After bidding Lauren goodbye and promising that I'd come to her baby shower in a couple of weeks, I set off to find Alice.

"Um, can you put back the chicken breasts?" she asks, nervously bouncing from one foot to the other.

"What's going on?" I ask, pushing my cart up.

"Nothing. I just went a little over my budget," she replies softly.

"I got you." I pull my wallet out, but she tries to stop me.

"No Bella, it's ok. Why don't you just go to the car and I'll be there in a minute."

"No Alice. I insist," I argue, swiping my bank card before she can stop me.

"It's eighty three dollars, Bella," she whisper yells at me.

"It's fine, Alice. You can get me back later."

"No. I can't," she growls, shoving the bags into her cart harshly. "Because I'm freaking broke."

"Alice..." I try to calm her down, but she throws her hands in the air.

"I can't even afford fucking groceries, Bella!" her lip quivers. "How am I supposed to pay you back when I can't even afford groceries?"

"Alice, we've all had hard times. We're practically family, so let me help you out okay?"

She nods and grabs the last bag from the poor innocent bag boy that just witnessed her meltdown. A whispered apology and she's out the door and heading towards my car.

I drop her off at her house and help her carry her groceries in before leaving so that I can get my perishables home. She gives me an extra firm hug before I go and I wrap my arms around her in my own silent way of comforting her.

Later that night I'm pulling the enchiladas out of the oven when I hear the telltale signs of someone jiggling my door knob. Smiling, I wait for the door to open, but it doesn't, so I go to see what the problem was.

"Babe, did the key get stuck again?" I ask, swinging the door open.

"Babe?" a husky voice asks. "Who the hell you callin' babe?"

The squeal that leaves my mouth is high pitched and somewhat embarrassing, but I don't care.

"EMMETT!" I throw myself at him, not caring that I'm wearing a dirty apron.

My big brother pulls me into a giant bear hug that leaves me winded.

"It's good to see you, too, but answer the dang question," he demands, setting me on my feet. "Who the heck is 'babe'?"

"Emmett, let her breathe," Rose scolds as she leads a tiny little boy up the sidewalk. She helps him up the stairs before turning to me. "Surprise, Sweets!"

The hug she gives me is just as fierce as Emmett's, but my feet remain on the ground. When we pull away, my four year old nephew Peter latches himself to my legs.

"Hi Auntie Bewwa!" he cries as I lift him up. "I missin' you."

"I'm missin' you, too, buddy." I hug him closely to my body and inhale his childlike smell, swallowing that yearning that seems to be making an appearance more often than not lately.

"You gonna meet my witta sista?" he asks after covering my face with sticky kisses.

"Of course. What's your little sister's name?" I set him on the porch and watch him walk over to the carrier sitting by Emmett's feet.

"Sharwotte this is Auntie Bewwa. Her gives the best kisses," he explains to the infant sitting obliviously in the car seat.

"Hello Miss Charlotte," I play along. "Why don't we get inside? I just pulled dinner out of the oven. If we can keep Emmett at bay, there will be enough for everyone. Have you guys eaten yet?"

"A few hours ago," Rose laughs. "We were actually coming to surprise you with a visit and a dinner invitation, but I guess we're the ones getting the surprise. Who's 'babe'?"

"My boyfriend. He should be here in a few."

"And why does this boyfriend have a key?" Emmett inquires.

"Because," I snort, leaving them in the living room. It takes me a little while to set the table for our extra guests. I find a stack of old phonebooks for Peter to sit on so that he can reach the table and find an old cup that had a lid so that he won't make a mess. I set all of the food on the table before going out to the living room to find that Edward's home.

He's sitting on the couch next to Rosalie with infant Charlotte on his lap. Looking down at her with such adoration, my heart just 'bout bursts in my chest.

"Hey Bells. Edward's here," Emmett says when he notices that I'm in the room.

"Hi babe." I smile waiting for it to click.

"About damn time!" Emmett laughs.

"We know," Edward and I groan.

"Daddy sayed a bad wor-erd!" Peter sings.

**so cute right? **

**See yah next time my lovelies **

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**Oooh so some more background yes?**

I've decided to reward everyone for their awesome reviews of my story by updating today as well as tomorrow before I go on my vacation. :D 

**Enjoy**

**Chapter Eighteen**

Rosalie is a great mother.

I watch her calmly scold Peter for being too loud in the house while she changes Charlotte's diaper and I hope that when the time comes I'll be half the mother she is. She's taken to the two children currently hanging on her ever word and action as if she gave birth to them herself.

There are times when I forget that both Charlotte and Peter are adopted. I can't ever forget the strained call I received from my older brother after he and Rose were married. I had rushed four towns over on autopilot to find my brother bawling his eyes out at the loss of the twins Rose managed to carry full term, but didn't survive after their birth.

They didn't have the heart to try again, so instead they applied for adoption and two years ago brought home a toddling two year old that needed a lot of love. The adoption agency picked the right couple.

Emmett took three months off of work so that he and Rose could help Peter acclimate to their family and the three of them formed an instant bond. Rose became the stay at home mom she longed to be and a few months ago I got an elated phone call informing me that I'd be an aunt once again. Charlotte was the final piece in their perfect family and it hurt to watch my brother fawn over his children as if they were his own.

I see flashes of sheer happiness flash through their eyes when Peter calls them 'mommy' or 'daddy'.

He understands that he has two big brothers in Heaven and that mommy get a little sad around the Fourth of July every year. They visit the twins' graves a lot because they would never forget them.

"What's got you so quiet, Sweets?" Rose asks, sitting up and flopping Charlotte's tiny body onto my lap.

I tense because it's not often that I have the chance to hold a baby. She's calm. Looking up at me with dark brown eyes, taking in my face while I study hers. She's got curly black hair and dark skin, but just like Peter she will never feel different in our family. Rose and Emmett had gone into the adoption plans not caring about race or gender and refused to worry about the later years when Peter will ask about his Puerto Rican background or why his sister is so much darker than him. Her mouth opens into a yawn and my heart melts.

"Oh Lord, I know that look," Rose groans. "You got the baby fever, huh?"

"Is it that obvious?" I blush, letting Charlotte use my finger as a pacifier.

"Honey, does a bear shit in the woods?"

"Oooh momma!" Peter giggles from the floor where he's playing with his blocks and action figures.

"Sorry darlin'." She blows him a kiss before turning to me. "Felt like your ovaries were gonna burst when you saw Edward holding Char earlier, didn't you?"

I nod.

"You're concocting a plan that includes Emmett and I leaving without the kids tonight so that you can keep them?"

"Of course," I laugh.

"You got the baby fever." She grabs my hand. "And there's only one way to cure that, you know?"

"Getting a dog?" I joke.

"I's wantin' a doggy," Peter cackles from the floor before he starts crawling around and barking like a puppy. Rose puts a stop to the charade when he starts licking her pants.

"Alright ,puppy dog. I want my Peter back. Stop slobberin' all over me," she laughs pulling him to his feet. "There he is. What about a real kiss for momma?"

"Ruff!" Peter yelps, holding his 'paws' up and panting.

"Hmm, well puppies aren't allowed to eat chocolate," I say out loud to no one in particular. "I just so happen to have some chocolate custard in my freezer that used to be Peter's favorite when he was a boy. I guess momma and I get to share it since Peter is a puppy."

"No! I's changin' my mind," Peter giggles, wiggling like a worm out of Rose's arms and heading for the kitchen. "Auntie Bewwa come on! I like cust-erd."

Rose takes Charlotte from me and I follow the bouncing human boy into the kitchen. Edward and my brother are shaking hands, but they quickly separate when they realize I'm in the room. Peter is bouncing around in front of the cupboard that holds the bowls.

"I can have a big one?" he holds his arms out to show just how big he wants his bowl to be.

"Well, you can have a big bowl like that, but the custard might get lost in it," I laugh, pulling out the small carton of frozen custard. "Do you still want a bowl or do you want to share this with me?"

"I's can share," he claps excitedly.

"Can I have some, too?" Edward pouts as he sidles up next to me.

"No. Me and MY Auntie Bewwa," Peter pouts. "We's sharin'."

"Hmm. Well, can you share your Bella with me?" Edward kneels down and holds his hand out to Peter. "Because I want her to be mine, too."

"NO!" Peter wails. "Her's mine. NO. DADDY"

Emmett chuckles and picks up the boy. "It's alright lil man. Edward wants Auntie Bewwa in a totally different way." He sends us a wink before heading to the living room. "We'll talk about it when you're older."

I make a move to follow them, but Edward calls my name bringing me back to the kitchen.

"What were you and Emmett talking about when I walked in?" I ask as he wraps his arms around my waist.

"Nothing of your concern, woman." He squeezes my ass cheeks earning a yelp from me. "I didn't get a proper greeting when I came home."

"I didn't expect to have company. They completely surprised me." I smile leaning up and pecking his lips.

"Hello boyfriend."

"Hmm..." he contemplates for a second.

"What?"

"Oh nothing."

For a second I jump to conclusions. Did his conversation with my older brother have anything to do with the topic we do not speak of?

I kiss his lips again, trying to convey as much love and anticipation I'm feeling at the moment and he reciprocates. When we pull away, his shirt is wet from the condensation coming off of the custard carton still in my hand.

I allow him to lead me into the living room and I'm on cloud nine, despite the fact that Peter is a little butt hurt that he has to fight Edward for my affection. He refuses to share the custard with me, instead choosing to sit between his parents, glaring at Edward while he shovels his dessert into his mouth.

Eventually Charlotte grows tired of being passed around so my brother decides it's a good time to leave.

"She'll sleep good in the car," Rose comments as Emmett buckles the baby into her carrier. "She's such a good baby in the car."

"She's beautiful, Rose." I pull her into a hug. "I'm so happy for the two of you."

"Thanks Sweets." She grips me a little tighter and whispers. "You're gonna have it all, too. You just wait for it."

But what if I don't want to wait?

**See you tomorrow lovelies :D**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**This will be the last update until I get back from my vacation Sunday night (Monday morning if things work in my favor) *wink***

**There's a list of things I wish to accomplish in Orlando this weekend:**

**-I wish to live out my dream and makeout with a zombie at some point during the zombie walk (preferably male but considering the fact that I'll be intoxicated.. we'll see how it goes)**

**-I wish to get a picture with Dr. Frank-N-Furter at The Rocky Horror Picture Show (preferably with him either in my lap or his leg thrown over me)**

**-I wish to win at least double my money at the casino when I gamble for the first time ever (a big deal considering I work in a gambling facility)**

**-I wish to get a picture or at least my boob sighed by Cleve Hall aka Monster Man and his daughter at Spooky Empire**

**-I wish to wake up on all three mornings fully clothed and not hungover **

**If your following me on Twitter I apologize for any illegible tweets that may ensue starting around noon tomorrow (It's five o'clock somewhere)... I'll be recording my experience on there as well as ticking things off of my list as they go down or I make an ass out of myself **

**End long ass Author Note. I shall miss everyone :D **

**Enjoy**

**Chapter Nineteen**

I wake up alone on Valentine's Day.

The curtains are drawn so the light peers inside the bedroom, illuminating the vase of roses sitting on the nightstand next to my head. The glass vase sends fragments of light across the empty bed. Sitting up I hear the crinkle of paper and realize I must have rolled over onto something. After a little maneuvering, I'm able to free the piece of paper out from under my ass and find that it's a regular piece of lined paper ripped out of a spiral notebook.

_Morning, Beautiful._

_Happy Valentine's Day. I'm sorry I wasn't here when you woke up, but there are things I need to take care of to make this day extra special. There's breakfast in the fridge (no, I didn't cook it). Take a shower and get dressed. We'll be outside most of the day and some of the night, so dress appropriately. I'll pick you up._

_Love, Edward_

I practically skip to the kitchen and find a bowl filled with an array of fruits all cut into hearts in different sizes. I take my time munching on my breakfast while I sift through my closet for outdoor appropriate date clothes. It's dangerously hot outside these days, so I choose a pair of plaid Bermuda shorts of different shades of red and pink and a red tank top that I plan on layering over a pink one so that it matches.

I spend so much time in the shower, making sure every speck of unwanted hair is gone, that the water is ice cold by the time I'm finished. I dry off and slather down with my favorite cherry blossom lotion. My hair's being cooperative today, so I let it hang down my back in loose waves with a headband holding it out of my face. I watch some television and try not to stare at the clock too much because he didn't say what time he would be showing up, just that he was. With a light dusting of makeup and my red Keds on, I'm sitting in the living room nervously waiting for Edward to pick me up.

My wait isn't long. I've only checked my makeup three times and brushed my teeth twice when I hear a faint but familiar knock on the door. My bag is by the door so I snatch it up before throwing the door open and there he is.

Trainers have replaced his work boots, he's traded in his wranglers and flannel button down for a T-shirt and a pair of cargo shorts, showing off his farmer tanned legs, but I can't complain because he's perfect.

Just the way he is.

"Hey beautiful," Edward greets, lifting my left hand and kissing it sweetly. I'm highly perceptive today because I'm hoping that he'll choose to make an honest woman out of me by the time it's over.

"Hi."

"You ready to go?" he asks, his Adams apple bobbing nervously. As if he has anything to be nervous about.

"Depends on where we're going," I counter.

"I'm not tellin'," he chuckles, pulling me out of the house and making sure the door is locked. "It's a surprise."

"But I don't like surprises," I pout childishly.

"Then you'll have to get over it." Edward holds my door open and helps me climb into his truck.

We drive through town and I am entranced in the decorations hanging in every window. City Diner's sign is covered with paper mâché flowers and little pink lights. Their marquee describes romantic couples special even though no one in their right mind would take their date there for dinner. The Crazy Horse is having a singles night and buy one get one free drinks for the entire day. I'm not surprised to see a couple of cars already hanging out there. The stop signs are even covered in something heart shaped or love related.

I love my town and our need to over dramatize the smallest holiday just to make it festive.

I'm a little taken aback when Edward pulls down the long winding street that leads to Maggie's stable.

"I'm not riding a horse, Edward," I explain sternly.

"I'm not gonna make you ride a horse, darlin'." He grips my hand in his and gives it a sweet kiss. "We're gonna take an ATV."

"Oh ok." My mood perks up. "Where are we going?"

"Somewhere's," he chuckles.

I humph impatiently as we pull around the back of the stable. Edward disappears into the tack room while I say a quick hello to Cupcake and Shortcake. "He's getting so big so fast," I comment to Edward when I hear the door to the tack room slam shut.

"Yeah he's growin' like a weed." Edward has a giant bundle wrapped in a tarp in his arms.

"Are you planning on taking me out into the middle of the woods and murdering me?"

"No. These are just a few things we'll need tonight."

"Tonight?" I quirk an eyebrow.

"Yep, we're campin' tonight," Edward explains, walking past me and out of the stable.

"Camping? You didn't tell me anything about camping, Edward Cullen." I've been camping before, but I'm also a woman and I have needs. There are things I need that the wilderness can't provide me.

"Just trust me, Bells," he drawls as he attaches the tarp covered bundle to the back of the ATV. He disappears back into the tack room and comes back with a cooler.

I spend the entire drive with my chin resting on Edward's shoulder, taking in the way the colors of the trees and everything surrounding us melts together. He maneuvers the ATV through the woods perfectly until we come to a small clearing surrounded by nothing but nature. The ground is rough, but there's a large square completely cleared away of sticks and brush.

At Edward's insistence, I sit down and watch him lay out the tarp and then assemble a small pup tent he's brought with us. It takes a good forty five minutes, but he refuses my help and I enjoy watching him pinch the bridge of his nose in frustration.

When he's finally done he gives a cute little fist bump.

I applaud and he gives me the finger, clearly annoyed, before he stalks towards me. I hold my breath as he runs a finger down my left arm before grabbing my hand.

"Happy Valentine's Day," he whispers.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Edward," I say softly, my entire body racked with nerves.

"We're alone out here. For the entire night." He kisses my lips. "Just you and me."

"Whatever will we do?" I ask, wrapping my arms around his neck.

"I was thinking about having a picnic while we watch the sun set and then some star watching." He kisses my lips again. "How's that sound?"

"Perfect," I breathe.

I take my shoes off after deeming the ground safe to walk on and help Edward lay out a picnic blanket a few feet away from the tent. We use a few stray heavy rocks to weigh it down because it's a little windy, but the air is warm so it's comfortable. I sit across from him on the blanket and he pulls out our food.

Finger sandwiches, fresh fruit and chips.

"I forgot wine glasses," he laughs as he pulls out a bottle of red wine. "Remembered the corkscrew, but not the glasses."

"It's alright," I giggle.

We eat the food he's provided before laying back on the blanket and watch as the sun turns in for the evening. Edward's arm is wrapped around my waist, playing with the skin under my shirt.

"Stop!" I laugh softly, rolling over and facing him.

"Why?"

"Because you're driving me crazy."

"What if that was my intention? To drive you wild?" His nose skims against mine as his hand rides higher under my shirt.

"Then I think I'd be okay with that."

He leans in to kiss me. His lips are slow and seductive against mine. He waits a good amount of time before deepening our kiss, all the while his hand lifts my shirt until it's under my breasts. We haven't even done anything, but the feel of his hand on my stomach has turned me into a panting mess against him.

My shirt's gone in a flash, the cool night air raising goose bumps along my skin. It's the first time Edward's ever seen me without a shirt on, but I'm not embarrassed because he's my best friend. He loves me even though my stomach isn't as flat as it was in my earlier twenties and I can tell by the hungry look in his eye that he wants me.

He pulls away and my protest stops short when I realize it's so that he can remove his own shirt. It's nothing I haven't seen before, but he's flushed with lust and that's all new. He's on top of me in a flourish, pressing his bare chest against mine as he attacks my mouth with his. I spread my legs and he nestles inside the opening, grunting and groaning when our sexes grind against each other.

His hot mouth trails down my neck and straight for the sensitive flesh of my right breast. His teeth are sharp as they nip at me, biting down on my rock hard nipple, causing me to cry out in a mix between pleasure and pain. He gives the other one the same treatment before returning to my mouth. His tongue runs across the back of my teeth as he unbuttons the top of my shorts and I feel my eyes roll in the back of my head.

"Do you think we should stop?" he asks, pulling away before my shorts are over my hips.

"Don't you even fucking think about it!" I snap, shrugging out of them and reaching for his pants. "I want you. Right now."

"Good." He shucks out of his pants, leaving both of us in our underwear.

Before I can reach out for him he's attacking my mouth again; our teeth clash, his tongue rubs against mine and I can feel the hardness of his want against my heat. I release a few mewling sounds before I feel the burn of nylon on my backside.

Edward just ripped my underwear off of my body.

I can't even yell at him for ruining my favorite pair of panties because it was so entirely fuck hot. I want him so bad and I tell him so.

"Fuck me Edward!" I bite his bottom lip. "Oh God! Fuck me!"

We're in such a hurry that his boxers barely make it past his ass before he thrusts into me roughly. We both cry out in sheer pleasure. I've never felt this full in my entire life. Forget the stars that are starting to pop up across the night sky because closing my eyes, that's all I see.

He gives me a second to adjust before he starts moving and I'm so glad we are alone in the woods because I'm embarrassingly loud. My legs wrap around his hips as he thrusts his hips against mine. My moan is long and overly loud, but I can't help it.

Edward's mouth opens, but the only thing that comes out are pleasure filled sounds. I can tell he's trying to say something, but the sensations are too much. His grunts, my moans and our gasping surround us, adding more fire to our already passionate love making.

"I-ungh. I love you," Edward manages to get out before his hands grasp my thighs, holding me in place while he pivots inside of me at a new angle, causing high keened squeals to leave my mouth with every thrust.

I'm practically screaming when one of his hands rests on top of my sex, his palm applying sweet pressure and friction to my swollen clit.

I can't return his words; I'm in sensory overload and the only things coming out of my mouth are animalistic cries as I feel the world crumble around us. My orgasm rips through me so furiously that my back arches off of the ground and my toes curl, all the while Edward is still moving. His hand leaves my over sensitive clit and he lets go of my thigh before laying on top of me, still thrusting deep inside of me.

"One more," he groans into my mouth, his body tense.

I can tell he's trying to hold off until I come again. My legs unwind from around him and I plant my feet on the ground, meeting him thrust for tired thrust until the both of us are howling. I feel the familiar tingling as Edward thrusts harshly into me and he begins spilling his seed deep into my womb. My orgasm isn't as powerful as the first one, but it leaves me feeling like a pile of goo once he pulls out.

Covering my face, neck and mouth with kisses, he continues whispering his love for me. There are tears pouring down my face because that was the first time I've ever felt completely connected to someone.

_Ask me Edward._

He uses the picnic blanket to clean me up before he carries my boneless body to the tent and lays me down on a thick down sleeping bag. We're alone out here, so neither of us bothers to put any clothes on as we wrap ourselves around each other. I tell him I love him forever. He promises to never let me go.

My tears eventually stop and I fall asleep.

My Valentine's Day is perfect despite the fact that he hasn't asked me.

**teehee.. lemons**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

***crawls out from under a rock* vacation was good. So good. In the end we had to drive home in the middle of a huge ass storm that has decided to hit Florida. I have no idea how it is now. I'm still under my blankets trying to get over my vacation hangover. **

**And now for the list of shit I planned on doing. **

**-the zombie walk was a bust, we barey made it there in time and everyone was pretty much either wasted or not even dressed up.**

**-I got hammered before Rocky Horror and while I didn't get pics of Frank-N-Furter with his leg over me.. I got pics with him, Magenta, Rifraf, and a bunchof other people. Columbia sat in my lap wearing frilly panties *giggles* and according to my friends I sort of flashed the cameras at City Walk in the elevator. **

**-walked a really far away and lost two hours of my life so I could get fries at Denny's with my friend Wendy while the other one passed out in the hotel room (as I was leaving this weird dude tried to lure me into his hotel room while Wendy was putting on her shoes)**

**-Cleve Hall is a fucking douche and walked away from me and the twenty five dollars I was willing to pay for a fucking picture of him and signAture... Yeah fucking douche! But the kid from Childs Play was amazing, definitely grown up. He bought us drinks so he is a-okay in my book lol **

**-the resort sucked balls and had no wifi or the casino they promised... Yeah **

**All in all I had a blast. Spent way too much money. Lost a few hours that I still can't remember and can't wait for the Lord of the Rings convention hehe**

**End long ass rant. Ah,**

**Enjoy**

**Chapter Twenty**

Waking up the morning after Valentine's Day is completely different from the day before.

Instead of waking up alone, Edward's body is practically suffocating me inside the tiny pup tent we slept in the night before. Instead of wearing my favorite night shirt, I'm completely naked. I like the differences. A lot. I'm sore in all the right places and Edward refuses to let me lift a finger as we prepare to leave our little secluded haven.

I can't believe I had sex with Edward.

The ride back to the stable has me wincing in pain with every bump we hit. It doesn't go unnoticed by my very attentive boyfriend who practically carries me from the ATV to the truck. As comfortable as it was sleeping in the tent, I couldn't wait to get home so that I can take some Advil, a hot shower and climb into my beloved bed.

"You hungry?" Edward asks as we make our way down the winding road and head back towards town.

My stomach growls, giving Edward his answer. He pulls into a spot in front of City Diner and jogs around the front of his truck so that he can open the door for me. I can't believe I'm about to walk into this eating establishment without wearing any underwear thanks to Edward's excitement last night.

The diner isn't very busy, so we take our usual spot in the back where we sat all of those years ago.

Edward orders his usual scrambled eggs, hot cakes and a fruit bowl and an order of biscuits and gravy for me even though he's going to eat my food.

We're holding hands across the table like a pair of fools madly in love.

"You're so beautiful."

"You're so delusional," I laugh.

Trusting Edward, I followed him into those woods and this morning I woke up to find that his version of 'trust me' was a roll of toilet paper and bottled water. No toothbrush, or hair brush for that matter. My hair is piled on top of my head in a messy bun and thank god I had breath strips in my purse or we'd both have dragon breath right now.

"No, I'm serious," he argues. "You're beautiful. Your eyes, your lips, the curve of your neck. Everything about you is just beautiful."

"Edward..." I blush, pulling my hands back so that the server can place our plates in front of us. "I already put out for you, so you don't have to flatter me."

"I'm not flattering you, darlin'. Just stating the facts. You take my breath away whether you've just gotten dolled up or you just spent the night having sex in a pup tent in the middle of the woods. You're absolutely beautiful."

"God, I love you," I breathe.

"I love you, too."

We keep small talk while we eat and I can tell there's something on Edward's mind, but he won't say what it is. He steals half of my food and I eat all of the grapes out of his fruit bowl. He keeps staring at me with this weird expression.

"I'm ready to take a nap. What about you?" I ask, yawning into my hand.

"We could." He stands up to pay the bill, but catches me off guard by pulling me out of the booth.

"Edward, I still have food I want to eat." I point to the remaining fruit.

"I have to do this. Right now," he stresses. "Or I'll lose my nerve. I wanted to do it last night, but then we... you know. And I didn't want to ruin this because of th-"

I clamp my hand over his mouth. "Your rambling, babe."

"Bells, I've spent the last seven years hiding my feelings for you because I was scared. We've wasted years and I don't want to waste any more time."

I gasp when he drops down to one knee, holding out a small velvet box in a shaking hand. "Marry me, Bells?" he chokes out. "Let's spend the rest of our lives loving each other just as much as we did last night, if not more. Whaddaya say?"

"Yes." I nod tears falling down my face. "Yes! Hell yes!"

He opens the box and pulls out the ring before placing it on my finger. It's perfect. A thin gold band that cradles a modest sized heart shaped diamond. Simple. Just like us. I sob into his mouth once the ring is secure and he stands up from the disgusting floor as our waitress and one of the other patrons applaud.

He goes to pay the bill, but I'm right there with him, refusing to let him go even for a fraction of a second. I'm practically in his lap the entire drive back to my house and I barely let him unlock the door before I'm attacking him, sore girly bits be damned. I want to have sex with my fiancé and it doesn't matter that I might not be able to walk afterwards. It's happening.

His shirt is destroyed because I can't find a way to get it over his head without separating our mouths. If he bitches later, which I doubt he will, I'll just remind him of the panties he destroyed last night. His hands are desperate, but there's no time for foreplay.

I practically throw him onto the bed and pull his pants and boxers all the way off, knocking over the lamp in the corner of the room when I toss them over my shoulder. My shorts are still hanging off of one of my legs as I impale myself on him. I can't help the hiss of pain that escapes my mouth. Edward grips my hips firmly.

"Easy darlin'," he grits out.

"No." I lean up and then drop back down on him.

All thoughts of my comfort are lost.

Edward's hands remain firmly on him hips and I'm positive I'll have bruises tomorrow, but I don't care. He lets me set the tempo and before we can even find a rhythm, we're both screaming into the room with our releases.

I'm needy.

I don't want to let him go and even after his grip loosens, I don't move. I want him inside of me, all around me, all the time. I can't get enough and I'm not sure if I want to ever have enough. He's running his hands through my hair and rubbing my back as I collect myself.

I'm sorer than I anticipated and I have a feeling I'm going to be bed ridden for at least a day, maybe three, after that quick romp. When we pull apart, I let out a yelp of pain and Edward's immediately alert.

He asks me what he can do to fix it and rather than asking him for an ice pack, I tell him that a bath would probably help.

He's naked as he walks across the bedroom and into the bathroom and if I wasn't in so much pain down south, I'd call him back to bed.

He turns the water on and asks me if I want bubbles, which I politely decline. I stand up on wobbly legs and manage to waddle into the bathroom. Edward helps me into the water and it's painful at first and then soothing.

"Join me," I request, leaning up so that he can slide into the tub behind me.

We sit in the tub for a good hour just relaxing. We've had to revive the water half a dozen times, but it's alright. Edward massages my neck and shoulders and covers them with kisses. I've just turned my head so that I can kiss him when I hear my front door shut rather loudly and a familiar voice call out.

"Bella darling! Surprise!" my mother calls from the living room.

Well there we go *applauds* finally happened eh?

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**I don't know if everyones heard but FanFiciton is on a warpath of destruction and I was one of the victims. DFWP was deleted and I spent the three days that my account was suspended trying to decide if I even wanted to continue.**

**I'm heartbroken that after seeing some of the sick and disgusting shit that people have on here I get pulled because of Fuc! and the word bitch... **

**But I will prevail **

**A lot of authors are continuing and I have decided to go as far as I can with this site until they decide to piss everyone off. I'm also converting all of my stories over to The Writers Coffee Shop just in case. The deletion was done without warning and I can't afford to lose my stories the way I lost DFWP. **

**Please follow me on Twitter if you already haven't I follow back: (at)PandorasFF**

** www(dot)thewriterscoffeeshop(dot)com/library/viewstory(dot)php?sid=5867 I started posting Brown Eyes and Stalkerboy over there. Let me get this out though. I don't like the site, it's difficult to find anything. I love the entire setup that is FF and hope that someone will come up with the same thing for people that wont get deleted because of a curse word or because their topic of choice. Until then. We'll just have to see how everything goes.**

**I've also considered starting a blog with all of my stories... what do you guys think? You are what matters most so I want to make this decision with your thoughts and advice**

**Enjoy**

**Chapter Twenty One**

"What do we do?" I ask, unable to get out of the tub because Edward's arms are frozen around me in panic.

"Um..." Edward pants against my back.

We don't have enough time to mull over our options because there's a soft, but melodic knock on the bathroom door.

"Bella? It's mom. Are you in there?" my mother's voice sings from the other side of the door.

"Uh, yeah mom," I call. "Give me a couple of minutes and I'll meet you in the living room. I'm just rinsing off now."

"Oh nonsense. I pushed you out of my uterus and bathed you for your entire childhood; it's nothing I haven't seen before. I'm coming in." The knob jiggles.

I try to jump up and out of the water so that I can lock it before she figures out how to get the door open. In my haste, I accidentally knee Edward in his stomach. He lets out a loud masculine groan and the knob stops moving.

"Isabella Marie Swan, do you have a boy in the bathtub with you?" Rather than scolding, my mother's voice is full of laughter.

I practically give myself whiplash from the amount of times my head flashes to the door, wondering if I should lock it, and back to the bathtub where my boyfriend, I mean fiancé, is doubled over holding his stomach and then back to the door once again. My mother makes my decision for me when she starts jiggling the knob this time in an earnest attempt to get inside the bathroom. I skid across the room and throw myself at the door, my nervous hand fumbling to engage the tiny lock into place.

"Jesus mom! Give me five minutes, please," I beg.

"It's highly unadvisable to have intercourse in the water you know," she lectures. I'm still leaning against the door and I can feel her rest against it and slide down to the floor. "Urinary tract infections, yeast inf-"

"MOM PLEASE!" I scream.

It's so easy for her to turn me into a blushing fifteen year old again. I order her to leave the door and my bedroom for that matter and tell her that I'll be out in a few minutes. I hear her mumble something about grandbabies as she stalks away from the door.

"Oh my god!" Edward wheezes, still hunched over in pain. "That was hilarious."

It's then that I realize his doubled over pose is so that my mother wouldn't detect the silent laughter racking his body.

Glaring at the idiot in the tub, I grab my fuzzy bathrobe and wobble out of the bathroom because the whole sprint to the door has me feeling all the more sore between my legs. Edward whisper yells for me to come back, but I ignore him and search through my closet for something presentable to wear in front of my mom.

Edward's still chuckling away as he climbs out of the tub and dries off. I can hear him talking to himself and that just makes me even angrier. He eventually calms down and exits the bathroom, a smirk still firmly planted on his handsome face.

"You have to admit that was funny," he presses as he steps into a pair of pajama bottoms.

"How in the world was that funny, Edward?" I scold him in my quietest scolding voice. "My mother almost walked into the bathroom and saw the two of us."

"How old are you, Bells?" He wraps his arms around me, but I'm still angry, so I'm like a dead fish in his embrace.

"Twenty-eight," I snap.

"And who owns this house?" His lips caress the skin of my neck.

"I do," I reply, not exactly getting the point of these stupid questions.

"Then what's the problem? You're a grown adult, living in a house that you bought. You can make your own decisions." He picks up my left hand and kisses my engagement ring. "Well now you have to run stuff by me."

"Really?" I laugh. "You don't own me."

He gives me a look.

"Okay fine, you own me. But I'm still an adult," I argue.

"And you're allowed to have sex and take baths with your fiancé. So stop worrying and don't be embarrassed." He kisses my lips. "Your mother is going to be ecstatic. She's always wanted me as her own. Now it'll just be permanent."

"So we're going to tell her about the engagement?" I ask.

"TOO LATE!" My mother bursts through the bedroom door with a wide smile on her face. I'm shocked to see that she's shaven her head and her eyebrows are penciled in, but then again it's my mother I'm talking about. Nothing should surprise me when it comes to her.

"The two of you aren't nearly as quiet as you think you are," she beams bypassing me and heading straight for Edward. "I'm so happy."

Edward gives me an 'I am _so_ her favorite' look and I flip him off. My mother is rambling about different wedding ceremonies I have to choose from, so I tune her out and head for the kitchen to make a pitcher of iced tea. I'm slicing lemons when she decides to give me attention, wrapping her arms around my waist and pulling my left hand up, paring knife and all, straight to her face so that she can get a look at my ring.

"Ooh, horse doctor," she whistles. "Looks like I don't have to ask if you can provide for my daughter and y'alls pups."

"Mom," I groan.

"What? You're almost thirty and I'm... well, I'm old enough to be a grandmother now. I've been waiting for grandbabies since you started your period at twelve." She lets go of my hand but keeps her arms around me. "I'm just kidding, babydoll. I'm happy for the two of you. Really."

"Thank you," I huff, returning to the task at hand. Slicing the damn lemons.

"So is this going to be a shotgun wedding?" Renee asks as I set a tray of Toll House cookies onto the table in front of Edward.

I don't even know what word I'm going for when I let out a feral sounding growl, wishing she would back off. My mother's penciled on eyebrows shoot upwards and she raises her hands in defense.

"I'm just asking. Christ, Bella," she laughs. "After almost walking into the bathroom, I can't help but to ask if the two of you are being safe."

Being safe.

Out in the woods, Edward never pulled out a condom and I'm pretty sure the ones in my nightstand expired well before the two of us ever met. I haven't been on the pill since I was twenty three because I started gaining unwanted weight. My hands shoot to my stomach because there is a probability that I could in fact be pregnant.

My mother takes that as a no and starts bawling into her hands with glee.

Edward's staring at me with a careful smile. He knows what's going through my mind right now and he doesn't know how I'm taking it. He winks and I smile back because we've covered this discussion even before we got together. We both want a family. My mother is snotting all over my kitchen table while I grow comfortable with the fact that I might be carrying Edward's child.

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**Alright, I've decided to do a blog, as well as The Writers Coffee Shop until my invitation is sent to join AO3 and then I'll tryit out there. Hopefully this boycott next weekend will make them see and none of this will be necessary but we shall see. **

**Im waiting to give info on both TWCS and my blog until I have everything uploaded... It's just slow work. I will have it up before the boycott so I can update Southern Comfort over there **

**Enjoy**

**Chapter Twenty Two**

My mother only stays for two days.

Her next article in the nonprofit magazine she writes for is on Cambodia, so she's heading across the seas to experience the third world country to do the piece justice.

She apologizes that she's spending the next six months away from us, but both my brother and I are adults and she worked her ass off to raise both of us as a single parent. She's afraid that she will miss the wedding and for that I'm certain because whether or not I'm pregnant, I can't wait to be a Cullen. My mother and I spent the majority of her two day stay together in our own cocoon of mother and daughter bliss. It's not often that I get to see her, but knowing that she's not going to be in the same country as me for half a year has me feeling a little heart sick.

Edward spends the two days packing up his apartment so that he can move into my house. Once my mom leaves to visit with Emmett and his family, we will inform his family of our engagement so that I can enjoy the short time I have with my mother alone.

It's hard to sleep without him, but climbing into the guest bed with my mother helps. She spends each night rubbing soothing circles on my back, brushing my hair and even painting my nails. Things she says she missed out on doing when I was a child because she worked so much. I ensure her that I turned out great and we share a laugh, ceasing the conversation of my upbringing for the remainder of her stay.

She's always been a wonderful mother. Even growing up when she would miss something so important to my eight year old mind, like a elementary play or a parent teacher night, I didn't hold it against her because I knew she was doing it for us. My father didn't pay child support and she was a single mother that refused to live off of the government. I hope that when Edward and I do have children, I'm half the mother she was to me.

Edward and I drive her to the bus station because she refuses our insistence that we drive her all the way to Emmett's. Her departure is full of happy tears and sad goodbyes, and for the first time in my adult life, I let my mother know how proud I am of her and her accomplishments. I'll be sad that she can't make it to the wedding, but she laughs it off and jokes about the magic of photo shop. She'd rather have her hair back in my wedding photos anyway.

I stand at the bus station and watch her Greyhound bus disappear around the corner because I'm sad to see her go, even if her arrival did embarrass the heck out of me. I got annoyed over the past two days with her constant badgering about grandchildren and the fact that I'm sexually active, but I wouldn't change it for anything.

Edward and I spend a week rearranging my house to make it into our home. Gone is my battered dresser from when I was in junior high, but in its place is Edward's giant mahogany bureau with more drawers that I know what to do with. We've switched out my dingy old oven for the high-tech one he insisted we get so that I will cook more often and after the great debacle of Saturday night, my couch is at the local Good Will and he's practically replaced my entire living room set with his own because it's newer.

Most of our time is spent spring cleaning and donating things neither of us plan on using in the next year, but we manage to christen almost every viable surface of the apartment. I'm currently laying naked on his, I mean _our_ coffee table in the living room, while he continuously thrusts inside of me, despite my pleas for release.

He's been insatiable for the past three days and I'm barely able to keep up with his stamina. He wakes me up and wants to make love, sometimes at the breakfast table before he leaves for the stable. If I'm home during his lunch break, he has me bent over the back of the couch after he eats a quick peanut butter and jelly sandwich and more than likely, our welcome home kiss when he's off of work ends up with my legs wrapped around his hips and my back against the wall by the front door. Showers have been joint and I spend the majority of the time I'm not working, while he is, sleeping because he has me up all night.

"Edward... please!" I beg between pants.

The hard stone of the coffee table is cold, but the sensation does wonders against my heated skin. When he first initially stripped me of my shirt and laid me down, I squealed. And then he entered me and the fire kindling deep inside erupted to battle. Ice cold and flaming heat. I'm surprised there wasn't steam coming up from around where my skin came in contact with the table.

Rather than answering me, he grabs my thighs and spreads them apart further so that his thrusts are deeper. My ass leaves the coffee table and he is almost standing up when he comes, erupting deep inside me and finally bringing me sweet relief.

"Not that I don't love it and all, but what is up with you this week?" I ask, waiting for him to lower my legs to the ground, but he doesn't. Instead he lifts them up higher so that I'm practically hanging upside down, still panting from our activities. "Edward! What the hell?"

"I heard this could help the sperm find the egg," he pants, pulling out of me.

"What?"

"I want a baby, Bells."

"Put my legs down, please," I sigh.

Edward is still for a second. A look of shame crosses his features as he sets my legs down and then sits on the couch himself. I sit up and grab his hands.

"Have you changed your mind about having a baby?" he asks in a voice so innocent it's hard to think it's coming from a full grown man.

"No, but I'd like to be married before I get pregnant. Is that why you've been jumping me every

time we're alone? To make a baby?"

"You're getting older, Bells." I pull my hand away to slap him, but he tightens his grip on me. "Don't take that the wrong way. You're getting older and pretty soon we'll be out of our time frame. I don't want to spend years in and out of fertility clinics. I want a family."

I look into his eyes in search for some sanity because the man has clearly lost his mind. Finding nothing but truth and innocence, I lean in and kiss his pouting mouth.

"I love you. You're stupid as hell, but I love you still."

And for the first night in almost a week, we fall asleep with our clothes on and I wake up with them on.

**Haha I forgot about Edward's obsession with impregnating her lol**

**A couple of people asked why Renee was bald and the chapter before already explained that so I won't go into it. I don't know why she came out the way she did. Some characters surprise me **

**See you next time **

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**Alright guys, I'm trying really hard to get everything over on the blog at least (I've decided to know out as much as I can but I'm making Southern Comfort my priority because I want it done so I can update Friday during the boycott) but I work five days a week and the internet has decided to crap out on me indefinitely so yeah... I'm doing this via my iPad but can't use my iPad to get everything flip flopped over.. so bear with me.. if not I'll update every day until Friday :(**

**Enjoy **

**Chapter Twenty Three**

"I told my momma we'd be there around noon. so we gotta hurry up," Edward sings as I rush past him and into the bathroom.

"I know, babe, I just didn't anticipate spilling blush on my dress. Give me five minutes," I plead as I grab my toothbrush and attempt at the world's fastest teeth cleaning.

Of course that results in my accidentally jamming the toothbrush down my throat, which in turn has me gagging into the sink. My eye's bulge in their sockets and I can feel the stirring of bile in the pit of my stomach. I can see the mascara I just perfected stream down my face. _Great._

Edward's behind me in a flash pulling my hair out of the way. And rubbing soothing circles on my back.

"Shh."

"I'm fine," I croak, grabbing a Dixie cup and filling it with water. Edward mistaken 'I'm fine' as a plea for help or something because he starts babying me.

"Edward, I said I was fine," I snap, pulling out of his embrace, nearly losing a clump of hair because he was still holding it in his hand. "Jesus. I choked on my toothbrush."

"Oh." His face falls. "I thought-"

"You thought what?" My arms are crossed and my bare foot is tapping against the tile impatiently. "That I was pregnant?"

"Yeah," he mumbles.

I let out a frustrated sigh and walked over to the man I love. His head is hung in shame as it should be, because the past week had been tense, what with his not-so-secret yearning for a baby, since my period that's due. I wrap my arms around him in an effort to let him know that yes, I am pissed, but that I still love him.

"You gotta stop, babe," I whisper as he hugs me to him.

"I just thought, you know, you being late and all."

"Edward, I'm like a day late." I pull away. "And how do you know that?"

"I checked that calendar on your side of the bed," he confesses. "And you're never late."

"The day isn't over yet, Edward. I've been stressed with my mom's trip and our engagement, so just give it a couple of days." I kiss his cheek. "I don't want you to be disappointed if this doesn't happen."

"I won't be."

"Edward, you're studying my menstrual cycle and reading ridiculous things about how to properly fertilize my egg. Tell me you won't be put off or upset if I start my period tonight?"

"I won't be, Bells." He kisses my cheek. "I just want this so badly. Almost as bad as I wanted you."

"Well, it's only been a couple of weeks, we waited seven years." I pull out of his arms and grab a washcloth so that I can clear away my makeup. "It will happen if it's meant to happen, Edward."

"I know, darlin'." He checks his watch. "I'm gonna go call my momma and let her know we're running behind."

"Ok. Give me ten minutes."

The second the bathroom door shuts, I lean against the sink heavily. My hand rests upon my still flat stomach. I'm feeling guilty about snapping because the truth is I'm just as obsessive over this topic as he is. I don't want to share with him that ever since I was fourteen my period has been regular, arriving the morning on the same day every month like clockwork. I'm afraid that the elation I felt this morning, when I realized what day it was, will be for nothing. Perhaps the fact that I'm highly sexually active for the first time ever has knocked my cycle off its schedule or something.

I don't feel pregnant and that depresses me.

I remember Rose calling me the week after she and Emmett arrived back from their extended honeymoon. She told me she could feel that she got pregnant on one of their last nights in Cabo. I thought she was crazy, but sure enough a month later she was informed that she was indeed pregnant and the dates matched up.

When she was going through her counseling for the post-partum after losing Aaron and Zaiden, she had me come to one of her grief meetings. There were mothers and fathers from all walks of life sitting in the room, and Rose told the entire group that she never wanted to experience the feelings that she felt upon their conception again. Years later she'd dote on her adopted children, but she never changed her mind about trying for a biological baby.

I longed to feel that sudden peaceful feeling she described come over me. I found myself stalling after Edward and I made love, just waiting for that feeling to rush through me, but it never happened.

"Darlin'," Edward calls through the door. "You ready to go?"

"Yeah, almost finished!" I yell back, washing my face of any trace of makeup.

If the ride is smooth I will try to reapply, but I'm not too worried about it. Tonight we're informing Edward's family that we're getting married, even though I'm sure they already know. Esme knows. She didn't say anything, but I could hear the knowing smile in her voice when Edward told her Maggie and Liam are also coming for dinner. There are ulterior motives in asking them to join us, but we'll wait until later for that.

We arrive at the Cullens' two and a half hours later, due to rain. My face is make up free, other than a little lip gloss and some powder to cover up a few blemishes. Edward insists that I look just fine, but I accuse him of being biased and make him wait so that I can look myself over in the tiny mirror above the visor.

He takes my left hand in his so that we can somewhat hide the engagement ring that we both refuse to remove and walk into the house. Maggie and Liam have already arrived. They are sitting across from Alice and Jasper, talking about the local horse show that Jasper will be taking Jake to in the next few weeks.

Alice looks bored to tears until she notices our presence and dances over to me. "Hey stranger!" She hugs me tightly. "Where you been?"

"Oh, busy with my mom. She came down to visit before she runs off for the next six months." I explain my mother's trip to Cambodia before Esme calls everyone into the dining room.

I'm greeted with another warm over enthused hug from Esme and Carlisle, then Maggie and Liam, before we all sit down. Carlisle's quiet voice says grace, but no one touches their food after 'amen'.

Instead they are all looking at us, Edward and I.

"So..." Esme drawls, leaning over the table on her elbows. "We are here as you've requested. What's goin' on?"

I look over to Edward, giving him the floor because it is his family. He grabs my left hand and says, "Bells and I are gettin' hitched."

Eight seconds of silence pass before Esme bursts into tears and Carlisle, not one to face emotion, slinks away from her side. Alice is staring at me with a smile so wide I'm positive her cheeks are going to ache tomorrow, while Jasper lays a hand on her shoulder to keep her from attacking us. Liam is clapping a hand on Edward's shoulder and Maggie has finally moved to console a now hysterical Esme.

I turn to Edward. "Pass the peas please."

His brow furrows. "But you hate peas." He passes me the bowl anyway in silence.

I spoon out a giant helping when he leans over and brushes my hair away from my ear. "Are you saying that you're-" he whispers, his voice breaking off but his hand travels to my stomach in explanation.

Setting the bowl down, I lean up so that I can speak to only him. "I'm saying that you either fucked my menstrual cycle out of whack or we're pregnant."

**so how about this part of the story is almost word for word how my mother told my father she might be pregnant with little ol' me... minus the effing the menstrual cycle out of whack (that would be awkward) lol. Hope you liked it :D**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**Alright girlies.. I finally made progress with my blog so I'm going to link you to that right... here pandorasboxisheavy(dot)blogspot(dot)com/ keep in mind I'm sort of constantly changing something about it and that the design is temporary until I find out what the heck went wrong with the old one kay?**

**Enjoy and make sure you subscribe to the blog because I will be updating there Friday and Sunday during the boycott**

**Chapter Twenty Four**

"Babe, go comfort your momma before she makes herself sick," I whisper into his ear, but he doesn't move. His arm tightens around me instead and I find myself in a vice-like hold. I let him have his moment because I know he's happy. I'm afraid I'm getting his hopes up and setting us up for heartbreak, but I didn't want to keep it to myself any more.

Eventually I manage to untangle myself from him and Maggie brings it to everyone's attention that Edward is crying. He pulls away from me, unashamed that he has big man tears rolling down his cheeks. I watch him move over to Esme in an effort to comfort her.

When they pull apart ten minutes later, her sobs are now happy giddy whimpers. She moves to come over to me, but sees that the rest of us are in check with our emotions and have started eating the dinner she's prepared for us. She sits down and Carlisle slinks back into the dining room holding a bottle of wine.

"I figured we'd celebrate good and proper," he shrugs, using his old pocketknife tool to unscrew the cork. "Not every day our only boy gets engaged."

Esme stifles another sob while Maggie grabs enough glasses for everyone. I don't want to turn down the wine because I saw the way Esme looked at the pile of peas on my plate and we aren't ready for that sort of announcement, just in case. Edward squeezes my hand tenderly as Carlisle hands me a half full glass of merlot.

"Don't worry 'bout it, darlin'," he whispers in my ear. "Just pretend until I drink some of mine and we'll switch."

I nod.

Our meal is cold, but I sort of grew up on fried chicken from the fridge, so I enjoy it. Edward manages to empty his glass and make the switch, but Carlisle sees my glass and moves to fill it up again.

"No thank you, Carlisle," I stop him, placing my hand over my glass. "I'm driving."

"Oh, alright."

"Not that we don't enjoy Esme's fine cookin' and what not," Maggie interrupts. "But why were we invited to this family occasion?"

"Because your family, Mags," Edward explains.

"Uh oh," she chuckles. "Why do I feel like that's a loaded comment? What will you be needing? 'Cause I'm sure the horses will survive a week or two so you can honeymoon."

"We actually wanted to talk to you about maybe having the wedding at the ranch," I mumble. "It's beautiful and simple and-"

"You know we charge for weddings right?" Liam asks. "People always contact us wanting to hold events and such, but we always turn them down."

"We can pay!" I argue. "We weren't asking for a hand out just for permission."

Edward's arm wraps around my shoulder and he pulls me to his chest. "Careful, darlin', they're only jokin'," he chuckles into my hair.

"Of course you can get hitched at the ranch, Bella. Liam was just pullin' your leg. We don't hold ceremonies at the ranch, but we'd love to host yours," Maggie smiles. "When are you wantin' to pull this shindig off?"

"Soon," Edward and I answer together, causing the rest of the table to laugh.

"Bella?" Alice's voice is hopeful.

"What can I do for you, Mouse?" I ask.

"Can I help you plan the ceremony?" She's bouncing again. Thank God Jasper's there to hold her at bay.

"On one condition..." Edward answers for the both of us. "...It's going to be a simple wedding. Bella and I get full power to veto anything."

"Deal!" Alice claps her hands excitedly.

The rest of dinner passes by. I enjoy a slice of Esme's cinnamon apple pie with some of Carlisle's homemade vanilla ice cream. And then I eat half of Edward's. I'm not worried that anyone will suspect anything because I've always been a hog at dessert and Edward's always been the victim of my greed.

Alice and Maggie talk about the perfect location. Carlisle and Liam partake in a little too much wine and are quietly giggling about something on the couch. Esme and Jasper start playing this ridiculously complex card game that involves a calculator. Edward and I choose that time to make our exit. It's only five thirty when we enter our town and Edward pulls to a stop in front of the drug store.

"You reckon we should grab you a test?" he asks uncertainly.

"I don't know. I've never taken one before. It might be too early, ya know?" I shrug. "But if it will make you feel better, then go buy one, babe."

"Come with me?"

"Not a chance in hell." I lay across the bench seat. "Hurry up."

"Bells!" Edward whines.

"I'm not going in there, Edward. I don't want any gossip hounds seeing the two of us in the parenthood section. If you want a damn test, then go buy one alone."

"Fine," he harrumphs, slamming the door of his truck a little harshly. Ten minutes later a beet red Edward climbs back into the truck, holding a bag bigger than I thought it would be. He doesn't say anything as he starts the engine and careens down the street.

"You okay, babe?" I ask, noticing the way his knuckles are white from the grip he has on the steering wheel.

"Huh? What? Yeah, I'm fine." He waves it off, muttering to himself.

"Well, you were fine when you went in. Now you're sort of freakin' me out," I giggle. He tosses the bag towards me and I open it, finding four different pregnancy tests.

"Those are early response ones. Two of them you pee on a stick, one you pee in a cup and dip the stick into it and then there's one that turns your pee a color as a result." His neck is even flushed as he explains.

"Why did you buy so many?"

"Because I didn't know what kind to get and then Mrs. Cope came by and asked if I needed help. I got embarrassed, grabbed some of them and went to the checkout," he grumbles. "Then the cashier asked me how far along the person taking the test might be and explained that early response is probably best."

He parks in front of the house and turns off the truck. "Then another lady said you should wait until the mornin' cause you're- it's best if you just wait till the mornin'."

"Well, that's what you get for being over excited, Edward Cullen," I laugh out loud. "It's probably too early for one of these things to work and you've embarrassed the crap out of yourself."

"Yeah yeah yeah. Get in the house," he growls.

"Why?" I ask innocently.

"Because if you aren't already, I plan on knockin' you up tonight, darlin'." His smirk is sexy in a 'I'm serious. Get in the fucking house right now before we partake in baby makin' right here, right now' kind of way.

"Yes sir," I obey, saluting for good measure as I jump out of the truck.

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**__****Proudly participating in the Banning Fan Fiction Net for 48 hours (6/8 to 6/9) campaign to stop cyber bullying.**

**if you wish to participate please sign out of your account! PM me if you have any questions**

**I started my blog! So far all of my betad stories are over there and I'm planning on adding a few incomplete projects in a folder so that you can check them out pandorasboxisheavy(dot)blogspot(dot)com/?zx=73fe4b39bbd895be**

**Don't forget to subscribe **

**Also follow me on Twitta! I follow back and like getting to know everyone :D (at) PandorasFF**

**Enjoy**

**Chapter Twenty Five**

Maggie called at six thirty this morning hysterical. Jake was colicky and she couldn't get him to stand. I offered to go be with her while Edward and Jasper worked with him, but he wouldn't let me, seeing as we only went to sleep two hours before the phone rang. He told me to go back to sleep and head out when I woke up well rested.

I was asleep the second he ended our good morning and goodbye kiss rolled into one.

And at ten my cell phone rang.

"Hello?" I answered, eyes still closed and head shoved under the pillow to block out the evil light.

"Yes, I'm calling to speak with a Bella Swan?" the voice sounded agitated. "She used to hang out with Jessica Stanley all the time and hasn't given her the time of day or even a phone call in over a month. Would you happen to know where I can find a Bella Swan?"

"I dunno, but tell Miss Jessica Stanley that the phone works both ways and mine hasn't rang in over a month either," I yawn.

"Whatever bitch!" Jessica cackles into the phone. "I've been knocking on your door forever. Okay, really, it's only been like a minute, but still. Come let me in!"

"Give me a minute," I chuckle, climbing out of bed and tripping over a stray boot on the way to the bathroom. "What are you doing up at this hour? Jessica doesn't do mornings."

"Well I got some news for you. ARE YOU PEEING WHILE YOU TALK TO ME?" she screams.

"Well, if I wasn't before, I am now. Jesus, Jess, you might be outside, but I'm inside. Let's use our inside voices please."

"Ew Bella! That's just nasty. Come on, open up."

I take my time washing my hands and then brushing my teeth, which pisses her off even further. By the time I swing the door open, the coffee is brewing and there are Eggos in the toaster. Jess gives me a dirty look.

"What? I have to offer food and refreshment or I'd be a bad hostess."

"Slut," she mutters, walking past me and into the kitchen. "When did Felix get a brother?"

"Huh?"

Jessica points to the wall above the dining room table where my Felix clock hangs on the wall. Next to Felix is Edward's beloved Garfield clock. We both refused to part with our kitchen clocks, so now we had two.

"Oh, when Edward moved in."

Jessica stares at me for a second, looking me over. "AW HELL! No wonder you've been hiding out. Shit girl! I thought I'd done something to piss you off. All this time you've been shacking up with your dream boat." She catches sight of my engagement ring and snatches my left hand up to see. "When the hell did this happen?"

"Recently." I take my hand back. "Coffee?"

"Sure." She sits down, but doesn't stop staring at me. "How does it feel?"

"Feel?"

"Yeah, to be in love?" She rests her chin on her hand. "You've loved Edward since forever and now that you have him and you're getting married and all. How does it feel?"

Jessica's being weird. Not that she wasn't always a little off, but this topic of conversation isn't something we've ever covered.

"It feels wonderful, Jess. Magical even," I smile, handing her a cup of coffee. "I can't explain it in any other way but completion because that's how I feel. Complete."

"I'm glad for you, Bella. I tried to keep my distance because I thought you'd be livid about me asking him to the carnival, but there wasn't another way around it. You both were too chicken." She reaches over and grabs my left hand. "And now look at you. Three months later and you're getting married."

"You really only invited him to the carnival because you wanted to force us together?" I ask. "Because I was pissed up until Edward told me what you had said to him. I was hurt because you knew how I felt about him."

"I had to do what I had to do, Bella. You're welcome." She fingers my ring and I'm not sure if I believe her or not. "I came by to talk with you and catch up. Maybe even take a punch or two if you were pissed."

"I'm not gonna hit you," I laugh.

"Good. So you know Sam? The mechanic by the Cuban shop?"

I nod around my cup.

"Well we've been seeing each other since January and I think I might be in love. He's all I think about all the time and it's not even the sex; it's everything about him."

"Jessica, are you feeling alright?"

"Yes! I just told you I think I'm in love. I'm sort of freaking out, but I'm alright."

"I'm just checking to make sure because the Jessica I know has always been dead set on screwing her way through life. The Jessica Stanley I know was incapable of loving someone other than herself."

"People change, Bella." Her eyes well up. "I know I've fucked up in the past, but Sam doesn't care about that. We've talked about everything and he's heard of all the skeletons in my closet. He has a few of his own."

"That's good."

"He used to be married. To a woman named Leah. She lives in the next town over. They have two kids. Stop giving me that look, Bella. I know I said I'd never want to have a kid of my own, but that's just because I'm afraid of fucking it up worse than I am. Paul and Jared are older, like seven and eight, so they are already potty trained and they really like me."

"You met them?"

"Yeah, Sam took me to meet them before they come to stay with him for the summer. Leah and her girlfriend-" My eyes bug out when she said that statement. "Yeah, she left him for another woman, but she and Emily wanted to meet me before I spent time with the boys."

"What did she think of you?" I wonder.

"At first I thought she was gonna gut me or something, but the boys warmed up to me and eventually she did, too." Jessica grips my hand. "Sam asked me to move in with him before the boys come for the summer."

"And?"

"I'm fucking terrified, Bella! I've never done anything beyond casual fuck buddies, and now I'm in a monogamous relationship and being asked to move in with him and help take care of his two kids."

"What did you tell him?"

"I didn't. I left him at City Diner," she laughs nervously. "I should probably head back, but I wanted to talk it out with someone and you're the first person I thought of."

I take a deep breath before entwining my fingers with hers. "Jessica, you don't want to look back seven years from now and wonder why you waited so long. If you love Sam and see a future with him, then go for it, hon. I've never seen you like this before, but I can tell you're being sincere."

"I'm scared, Bella," she murmurs, eyes swelling up with unshed tears.

"Well then, talk to Sam about it. Tell him what you're afraid of and see if maybe the two of you can come up with a compromise." I glance over at Felix. "Maybe you can keep your apartment for a little while just in case the two of you decide to take a step back."

"Yeah," she mumbles. "I better get back. He's probably wondering where the hell his car went by now."

"I gotta get ready to head out to the ranch anyway. There's a problem with one of Maggie's horses and Edward's been out there all morning."

I walk Jessica to the door and give her a hug. "Thank you, Jessica. You might have gone about it the wrong way, but you're the reason behind me having everything I ever wanted. I want you to be happy, too."

"Thanks, Bella." She hugs me tightly. "Your boobs are bigger. Lucky bitch."

I smile and wave to her as she pulls out of my driveway in a beat up Volkswagen Rabbit.

Edward calls as I'm stepping out of the shower and asks me to bring food for everyone because no one is willing to leave Jake for a moment. I promise to bring lunch and tell him I love him before getting dressed and stopping by City Diner.

**Jessica's drama is all her own now.. I don't know if I believe her and I'm the one that wrote this o_O **

**See yah next time.. and don't forget the boycott.**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**So how did everyone survive the boycott? I made it until six yesterday and sort of cracked...**

**Enjoy**

**Chapter Twenty Six**

It's eleven at night when we finally return home.

Jake won't need surgery but he also won't be attending or competing in the horse show that Jasper's been so excited about. Maggie's just glad that he's okay but I could tell before we left that Jasper was a little upset that all of their hard work was wasted.

"You okay babe?" I ask rubbing Edward's tense shoulders with a soapy sponge.

We are sharing a bath because we're both covered with stable dust and other horse matter. I refused to go anywhere near Jake but spent a majority of my time helping Maggie muck the stalls and I even spent some time playing with Cupcake and Shortcake. She jokes that the little colt has a crush on me especially when he tried to follow us out of the stable when we were leaving.

"Yeah I'm good." He leans against me his back against my chest. "Definitely tired."

"I'm sorry." I kiss the top of his head. "I think I can make you feel better."

"Hmm? How so? I'm too tired to make babies." He mumbles sleepily.

"Not that you twit." I smack his wet chest and he startles causing water to spill over the edge of the tub and onto the floor. "I took one of the tests this morning."

Edward freezes. "And?"

"Well I took the one you just pee on the stick because I was also on the phone. Jessica came by." He rubs my legs that I've wrapped around his torso.

"Did you get an answer?"

"I was afraid to look." I murmur. "It's in the drawer by the sink. You can look if you want."

We're quiet for a little while, neither of us moving. Me because Edward is leaning against me pressing my back into the tub and him because.. well I don't really know why he's immobile he just is. His fingers are rubbing together nervously.

"Go ahead babe."

"You're sure?"

"I wouldn't have said it if I wasn't." I nudge him. "Go on."

Edward's out of the tub in a flash sliding across the floor as water drips down his body. He freezes in front of the sink one hand on the drawer handle. He looks at me.

"This doesn't mean anything darlin'." He stresses. "No matter what the outcome is we'll be happy either way. Deal?"

I nod.

The drawer squeaks as Edward pulls it out. He finds what he's looking for rather quickly and I can hear his breathing pick up as he holds the stick in between his large hands.

"I love you baby." He whispers.

I can't tell if he's sad or shocked because he's still staring at the damn test. I go for sad and can't help the slew of tears because I wanted it just that badly.

"We're having a baby Bells." He lays the test on the counter before running over to the tub and pulling me out of the water before I can understand what he's said. "You're having my baby. Oh I love you darlin'."

"What?" I ask as I try to find my footing on the slippery floor.

"It's positive." He reaches around and grabs the test before thrusting it in my face. "Positive."

Indeed in tiny black blocked letters the small results window of the test indeed said PREGNANT. But I still couldn't compute. Why hadn't I felt what Rose felt? That sheer completeness? Was there something wrong with me? Or the baby?

"Bells. What's wrong?" Edward gives me a shake.

"I don't feel pregnant." I answer numb. "How come I don't feel like Rose?"

"Well you're only a little pregnant Bells." He grabs a towel and wraps it around my body. "You'll feel it darlin'. Aren't you happy?"

"Of course I'm happy." I argue.

"Then why haven't I seen that pretty smile of yours?" he lifts up the corner of my mouth and I give him a halfhearted smile. "Let's go lay down."

We climb into bed naked. He pulls me close and mumbles happy words of love into my ear. He can't wait to hear the baby's heartbeat, I kiss him. He can't wait to see me get fat, I slap him in the stomach. He can't wait to meet him or her, I tiredly climb on top of him and make the sweetest love to him that I can before we both fall asleep.

When I wake up I'm not cradled in Edward's arms like I usually am. Instead I'm flat on my back and the blanket is drawn up to my shoulders covering my naked breasts. I'm about to move when I hear a soft mumble from under the covers. I lift the comforter and find Edward has slid down so that his legs are hanging off of the bed but his head is side by side with my stomach.

"What are you doing?" I ask with a giggle.

"Talkin' to the youngin'." He shrugs.

He looks wide awake. How long has he been up? Before I can ask he presses his lips to my soft belly and starts talking again.

"And you're gonna be so loved. Your momma's a good woman but she's gonna have to be the bad cop in a lot of situations because I can already tell you got me wrapped around your little finger and I don't even think you have digits yet." He places a kiss on my belly button. "You just be easy on momma and come out healthy." Another kiss. "Cause we're gonna spoil you rotten."

And then I feel it.

A warming feeling sweeps over me and I get goose bumps all over my body. Like all of the pieces of my life are finally falling into place. I rest my hand on the back of Edward's head and wipe away a stray tear because I've always been an over emotional wreck.

"Who am I kidding? You're gonna get away with murder especially if you come out lookin' like your momma. I hope you do."

"No." I pull at the hair on the back of his neck lightly. "He's gonna look just like you and he's gonna be a lady killer just like his daddy."

"Whatever you say darlin'." Edward chuckles climbing up the bed so that he's towering over me.

"Let's just shoot for healthy kay?" I pull his head down so that I can kiss his lips.

We're both still naked. No barriers.

I spread my legs and he climbs between them without breaking our kiss. His hands take mine and hold them over my head as he enters me with one gentle thrust. I cry out when he's fully seated inside me. My hands are still in his against the pillow by the head board as he pulls out and slams into me causing the bed to lurch.

We aren't working with the purpose of making a baby because we've already done that. Instead we're achieving only the best form of pleasure.

I want to touch him so badly but he refuses to loosen his grip on my hands. I beg for the use of my hands and he finally lets me go. His arms move under me so that he's squeezing me to his chest as our bodies work together. My arms go around under his arms and grip his back so that I can hold on.

"Mine." He growls biting my lip roughly. I yelp as he uses his tongue to sooth the tender flesh he's marred. My nails dig into his back and his thrust become harder.

Luckily I've grown accustomed to a rough romp in the past couple months so I won't be sore for the remainder of the day. I spread my legs further to welcome his aggression because I like it. Sometimes I crave it.

I love when Edward's possessiveness comes out despite the fact that he's the only one for me.

"Your mine." He grunts his grip on my back tightening.

"Only yours." I gasp trying to catch my breath.

His pelvis is rubbing against my clit every time he thrusts inside me and I can't hold off anymore. In an instant I'm thrashing beneath him as my orgasm washes over me, my nails dig a trail down his back and to his ass where I hold him and squeeze him against me in an effort to hold onto the pleasure convulsing throughout my entire body. I scream as he shoots hot spurts deep inside me his mouth covering mine, his tongue massaging my own until he stops thrusting and I'm left whimpering against the mattress. A sweaty and still convulsing mess against the sheets that are going to need to be changed.

"Hm." He mumbles against my lips. "Good morning momma."

"Good morning indeed." I chuckle breathlessly. "Daddy."

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**In case you missed it I'm on Twitta! at PandorasFF so come hang out with my pervy ass k?**

**Enjoy**

**Chapter Twenty Seven**

Lengthy, but oh so important, paperwork completed. Check.

Managing to pee in a tiny ass cup without making a huge mess and then awkwardly handing it over to the poor nurse. Check.

Stripping down and dressing in an embarrassing paper gown. Check.

"You nervous, darlin'?" Edward asks as I hop up unto the examination table, complete with a pair of terrifying stirrups at the end.

"Just a little," I chuckle, trying to wave it off.

It's been three weeks since I took the pregnancy test and I'm just _now_ getting in to see the doctor. I wanted to wait, to be sure that I wasn't going to embarrass myself, but now my period is late, _super late_ and Edward won't let me stall anymore. Four positive pregnancy tests and it's pretty clear. Not to mention the ever present signs.

Jessica was right my breasts are growing, as is my appetite. I can now out eat my brother under the table. Morning sickness has reared its ugly head, but luckily it comes and goes before I've had my breakfast, so all is good.

Edward is playing with my engagement ring. He's sitting right beside me on a stool because he doesn't want to miss a second of this. I'm positive that if it were possible, he'd switch spots with me. A part of me wishes it was possible.

The wait is also because we wanted the best OB/GYN in town and apparently he's super busy, so there was a wait list. We finally managed to get in and Edward's excited.

Once we get the positive and all clear, we're telling the families. Which leads us to the office of Dr. Benjamin Cheney. He might be a slime ball for cheating on Angela with Jessica, but he was still the best. Meeting up with Angela two weeks ago to make sure she wouldn't feel betrayed that I was going to see her ex-husband was awkward and uneventful. She understood that he was the best available and ensured me that no hard feelings would come of that.

There's a friendly knock on the door before it opens slightly. "Everyone decent?" he asks.

"Yes, Dr. Cheney," I blush, pulling the paper gown down even though he's going to see it all in a little bit anyway.

"Come on, Bella. You've known me for years. You can call me Ben even here," he chuckles as he shakes Edward's hand.

"Well, I'd like to keep this professional if that's alright with you, _Dr. Cheney."_ Ben and I used to be friends, before he betrayed his wife and destroyed their family.

Ben grows quiet and moves towards the sink to wash his hands. "How's she doing?" he asks as he pulls on a pair of gloves. "I haven't seen her since the divorce. Her mom drops Kayla off and picks her up when it's time for my visitation."

He's looking for pity.

Edward gives my hand a squeeze and I take a look at the sad eyes of my old friend.

"How do you think she's doing?" I snort, unable to find understanding for his actions. "She's started to date, but she's scared the rest of the men in this world are about as shitty as the man she wasted over a decade on."

"Bella," Edward whispers in warning.

"Fine." I plaster a smile on my face. "I wouldn't know, Dr. Cheney. My fiancé and I are here to confirm our pregnancy and learn the ins and outs of properly carrying a baby. Why don't we get the show on the road?"

Ben nods and sits at a stool at the end of the exam table.

Then he starts asking all of these embarrassing questions that has me wishing I'd felt like sharing the fact that his ex-wife is miserable. Rather than informing him of my lack of period, sensitive nipples and aggressive sexual appetite, I could be telling him how Angela ended up bursting out into tears in the middle of her first date since the divorce. She's seeing Eric now and he was understanding of her emotional moment, but she's still miserable and paranoid when he doesn't pick up his phone or is a few minutes late.

My legs are in the stirrups and he inserts the internal ultrasound wand. Despite my harsh words earlier that haven't affected him negatively, he continues to talk to me while he presses buttons.

"And your morning sickness? Have you had a lot of it lately?" He presses another button.

"Nah. Just in the mornings, but nothing serious," I shrug.

I'm staring at the ceiling because I'm uncomfortable. Edward is enamored in the little black and white screen of the machine Ben's using.

"And how about fati- WOW!" The wand freezes.

I freeze.

Edward freezes. "What? What's wrong? Is everything okay?" he asks, before shooting off in a rant towards me, blaming me because he wanted to come to the doctor sooner and what not.

I start crying because Edward's being mean to me and I'm over emotional.

"Calm down, you two." Ben swivels the screen around so that we can see it. "See that right there?" He points to the screen. I see a blob that fades out before coming back just as strong.

"Is that the heartbeat?" I ask.

Edward makes a move to grab my hand, but I slap him away because he hurt my feelings.

"Sure is. Here." He turns a dial and the room is filled with _thudump thudump thudump._

"It's so fast." I stare.

"Uh-huh. And there's a reason behind that." Ben maneuvers the wand. "Baby one has company."

I stare at the screen. There are two thudumps going on at the same time. Two heartbeats fading out before coming back just as strong.

"Congratulations, you two! Looks like twins!" Ben smiles from between my legs. "I sort of expected it, seeing as your family has a history of twins, Bella. Your HcG levels were pretty high as well. This just confirms it."

"Twins?" Edward chokes out, finally able to find his voice.

"Yep." Ben points at the screen. "Baby A, Baby B."

Edward's eyes are full of tears as he turns to me, a cocky smile on his face. "Looks like we were both right, eh, darlin'? Boy and a girl on the first try."

"I wouldn't go that far, Edward," Ben chuckles. "See the twins share a zygote, or in other words the egg. They are going to share the same sex."

"Huh?"

"They're identical."

The warmth of Edward is gone from my side in an instant. The different pamphlets on the table by my head fly up in the air as his eyes roll in the back of his head and he tries to grasp at anything to keep himself upright. But it's all in vain and he hits the floor like a bag of bones.

"Calm down, Bella. It was bound to happen sooner or later," Ben laughs. "He took it well."

He swivels his chair over to an intercom on the wall and presses the button. "Can one of you please bring some smelling salts?"

"Yes sir," one of the nurses replies.

"You okay, Bella?" Ben asks as he covers my legs with a blanket and starts to put away the ultrasound machine.

"Yeah," I choke out.

"You sure? Once Edward wakes up we'll go over some stuff. I'm sure this is all overwhelming."

"Oh yeah. OK." I turn to Edward and start laughing. "He's _never_ living this down."

And I pull out my phone and start taking a few pictures of my sleeping beauty.

**bwahaha that is all :D **

**Till next time lovelies **

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**Sorry this is so late :( My work internets hate me... like a lot.. UGH  
ENJOY!**

**Chapter Twenty Eight**

"And the second Jackie waved the smelling salts under his nose, he jumped up and asked if I was going into labor," I wheeze, one hand holding the phone to my ear, the other clutching my stomach.

"Oh, dear Lord!" My mother's laugh is a perfect impression of Marge Simpson. Her voice sounds a little under water because she's using a satellite phone. Edward and I decided that we'd tell her first seeing as she was the farthest away. "Is he alright? He didn't bang his head or anything did he?"

"No mother," I snort. "Your favorite hasn't been harmed."

"Now Bella. I love you both the same," she chides. "How are you doing, darling? I know this can be an overwhelming time. Pregnancy is already tough, but I could never imagine _twins."_

"She's fine, Renee," Edward chuckles. "Eating for three and sleeping all the friggin' time, I kid you not."

I punch him in the shoulder.

"You stop hassling my baby, Edward Cullen. You knocked her up, so you gotta deal with all of the mood swings and weird ass cravings," my mom laughs. "Did Bella tell you that I used to eat pimento cheese spread out of the container when I was pregnant with her?"

"No," Edward laughs, rubbing my stomach lazily. We're laying side by side on the bed me on my back him on his belly.

"That's why I can't stand that stuff now," I fake gag.

"Yep, Charlie would find me in the kitchen at three o'clock in the morning eating it with a spoon like it was sherbet. Speaking of which... have you seen him?"

"Not since the New Year's party at Esme and Carlisle's." I roll my eyes. "We're going to drive out to visit with Em and Rose later today after we stop off at the Cullens'."

"Sounds wonderful! Give my grandbabies kisses for me, and tell Emmett that I'll call him when I get more phone rations later in the week. It was wonderful talking with you, baby girl, and you, too, Edward."

"Love you, mom." I make a kiss sound and she gives me one in return.

"Love you, baby. Take care of yourself and your precious cargo. And Edward?"

"Yes." Edward sits up.

"You better take care of the three of them. And no matter how bitchy and senile she gets, I want you to keep in mind that she's giving you a special gift."

"Yes ma'am." He leans down and kisses my stomach.

I hang up the phone after a few more goodbyes and Edward jumps up. "Let's go."

"Edward, it's not even eight in the morning yet!" I laugh, sitting up as he tosses me a pair of jeans that no longer fit me. Jeans that stopped fitting me three years ago, but I refused to part with them.

"I know, but I'm too excited to stay in the house. We can show up early; it's my mother we're talking about." He throws me a shirt that has a hole in the neck line from overuse. He's obviously not looking at what he's pulling out.

I throw the clothes onto the floor and stand up. "Alright! Stop throwing clothes at me that I'm never going to wear! We'll leave around nine because I refuse to show up two hours early." He motions to interrupt, but I scowl. "I'm serious, Edward. You're being ridiculous. Now let's shower and I'll think about leaving when we're done."

"Okay." He grabs my hand and practically hauls me into the shower. I let out a squeal and slap his shoulder when he drags me under the ice cold water before it can warm up. He apologizes and offers to wash my hair for me. All is forgiven because I'm lazy.

He wasn't lying about my sleeping all of the time. Ben said it was normal when I called his office after I fell asleep in my lunch during a meeting with the local Girl Scout committee. He said that my body was working extra hard and that no matter how much I wanted to, I was not allowed to drink the five hour energy shots I used to live off of.

Edward soaps up a washcloth and starts to wash my body. And by my body, I mean my stomach that hasn't exactly changed for the most part. It's hard and a little pudgy, but doesn't look like I'm pregnant. No, it looks like I ate a giant Thanksgiving meal. I stopped wearing my tighter jeans because I don't want to squish the fetuses.

"Edward, how about washing my back or something?" I laugh as he continues to lavish my belly with more than enough attention.

"Huh?" He runs the washcloth along the contour of my hips. "Look at that." My skin is covered with suds. He uses his finger to draw a smiley face. "They are happy," he smiles brightly.

"Oh my god," I sigh with a small giggle, snatching the washcloth out of his hand and taking action by washing the rest of my body myself. "You're ridiculous, my love."

"I can't help it. I love your stomach." His hands are touching it again. I ignore him and rinse off. I'm drying off while he pouts and washes his hair.

The cold and cooler weather are gone and we're now headed straight for summer. I dress in a pair of white cotton pedal pushers, a T-shirt with a rainbow on it and a pair of flip flops. Edward raises an eyebrow in question. I never wear flip flops. _Ever._

"It's too hot for boots. I'll die," I whine. Ben said the heat flashes were normal, too. I called and asked him if it was possible to go through menopause while pregnant.

"You're dramatic," he chuckles, stomping into his boots. "Did you make up your mind? Can we leave?"

"Yes Edward."

The two hour drive to the Cullens' is full of wedding talk. Alice has out done herself and in less than three weeks I'll be Mrs. Edward Cullen. She and Maggie have been working nonstop, perfecting every detail. There have been arguments over the littlest things, like stemware and napkins, but the icing on the cake was whether or not Edward was going to wear a tux. Alice was beside herself when we informed her that he would wear a nice pair of jeans, a new pair of boots and a button down shirt with his best Stetson. My dress was a whole other discussion and one I refused to talk about until today.

Who knows how pregnant I'll be in three weeks. I just know Alice will have a solution.

Esme is at the mailbox when we pull up. The second she catches sight of Edward's truck, she's rushing up the driveway so that she can greet us. My door is thrown open before the car is fully stopped and I'm lucky to get my seatbelt unlatched before she's yanking me out of the car.

"Oh, my favorite daughter in law!" she squeals. "How are the plans going? We got our invite yesterday and I just love that you incorporated the ranch and horses in it."

I hug her while Edward climbs out of the driver's side. When we pull away, Esme drops the mail she had in her hands. "You're pregnant."

"What?" I ask dumbly, pretending I didn't know what she was talking about.

"Oh, don't give me that look, darlin'." She touches my cheek. "You got that flushed look even though the weather is still being kind to us. And since when does Bella Swan, soon to be Cullen, wear flip flops?"

_Damn, she caught me. I knew the flip flops would give me away._

"Mama, stop trying to spoil our fun." Edward pulls me away from her. "Get in the house and act just as surprised as everyone else will."

She scowls and leads the way to the house. We find Alice sitting over a small binder, going over wedding preparations no doubt. Jasper is laying on the couch with a small pillow over his face, trying to tune out whatever she's rambling on about and Carlisle is standing by the door, looking a little nervous. I'm pretty sure he's ready to bolt if someone bursts out into tears.

"Alright, we're all here. You're too early; lunch isn't finished yet." Esme claps her hands. "Tell us."

Alice closes her binder, Jasper sits up and Carlisle is almost down the hallway.

"We're pregnant!" I blurt out because Edward insisted that I tell them, seeing as he told them we were getting married.

Carlisle is down the hallway before Esme can emit the first loud strangled sob. Alice is pouting and going off about how the menu will have to be altered to cater to my diet and Jasper just looks bored.

I call for Carlisle to come back and am just about to inform them of the other news when my phone starts buzzing in my purse. I ignore it because if it's important, whoever it is will leave a message.

Carlisle is clinging to the doorway nervously while Esme continues to sniffle.

"We went to the doctor and everything's perfect. We did get a big surprise," I start.

Esme looks fearful.

"No, nothing's wrong." Edward pulls the sonogram pictures out of his wallet and shows her. "There's baby one and baby two."

"Twins?" Esme wails.

My phone rings again so I follow Carlisle into the kitchen as I pull it out of my purse. The numbers restricted, but I decide to pick up anyway because they've called twice.

"Hello?"

"Yes, can I please speak to a Bella Swan?" a woman with a heavy Hispanic accent asks.

"This is she."

"Miss. Swan, this is Genevieve with County General. You're the next of kin to a Mr. Swan yes?"

My hand flies to my throat in an instant my thoughts immediately go to Emmett and why I'm next of kin and Rose isn't. Unless she is unavailable.

"Yes," I manage to choke out. Carlisle looks worried and calls for Edward.

"Miss. Swan, there's not much time. I've been asked by the physicians on call to get into contact with you and ask that you come down immediately regarding Mr. Swan."

"I'll be there as soon as I can," I cry. "Is my brother alright? Can you please tell me if my brother's alright?"

"I'm sorry, Miss Swan. My paperwork indicates that Mr. Swan has no siblings. There is a Bella Swan listed under children. You are Mr. Charlie Swan's daughter, yes?"

It's not Emmett. It's Charlie.

I hang up the phone as Edward pulls me into his arms, demanding to know what's going on and I can't help the heart wrenching sobs that leave my throat because I seriously thought I was losing my one constant blood relative. And despite how badly my father's treated me almost my entire life, I needed to go see him. I pull away from Edward.

"I need to get to County General," I sniff. "It's my dad."

***slinks away***

**Heart you all :D**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	29. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**Only because I love yo' faces :D my work internet is being a bitch so I'm sort of stealing off of someones phone that also serves as a hotspot while they sit in my establishment**

**Enjoy**

**Chapter Twenty Nine**

I hate hospitals.

Everything about them irks me to no end.

Their parking lots are always dirty and littered with trash, their waiting rooms are always too packed and the smell of ammonia makes me think they are trying to hide the odor of something else. Urine, blood or death... I don't think I want to know the answer to that.

County General is a nice hospital in this area, but the staff sucks. It takes me almost thirty minutes once I arrive to get a hold of Genevieve so that she can take me to my father.

Edward's by my side.

My tears have stopped.

The short Hispanic woman leads the way to an ICU unit and I find Sue sitting outside of the room. The second she sees me, she stands up, Her makeup is melted on her face and it's evident she's been crying. For a second I think she's coming to inform me of what happened or maybe lower the walls of hatred she's built up in this hour. Instead she walks right past me and asks a passing nurse where the cafeteria is.

Genevieve stops in front of the door and informs me that Charlie had a massive heart attack. They were able to revive him on the scene and perform a triple bypass, but there were complications and he's barely stable. When Genevieve asked who he wanted her to call once he came around, he wasn't able to answer, so she went with his first of kin.

"You go spend time with your papa," she nudges me. "I think he is waiting on you to get here."

I hesitate in front of the door.

"Can you wait out here?" I ask quietly.

"I'll be right here, darlin'." Edward kisses my forehead before he opens the door and pushes me inside.

I take a second to assess the situation. The man I used to adore growing up is now a pale, lethargic person laying against the white hospital bed. He's got an oxygen mask on his face and he's hooked up to a mess of scary looking machines.

"Bella." His breath is wheezy. He reaches a pale hand towards me. "Bella."

I make my way over to him and take his cold hand in mine. "Hi daddy."

"Bella." His watery eyes meet mine, they are filled with sadness.

"How you feeling?" I sit on the edge of his bed.

"Not too good." His voice is barely a whisper. "I'm so sorry."

"Shh." I push the gray hair out of his face. "You don't need to apologize. Save your strength."

"No, I do. I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you growing up. And even when you are grown up." His hand brushes against my engagement ring. "You're getting married."

A tear falls down his cheek. I catch it with my finger.

The machines next to his bed are beeping, but I ignore them and focus on what he's saying.

"Yeah, we're getting married in three weeks." I rest my free hand on my stomach. "We just found out we're pregnant. I'm having twins."

His eyes are wide. "Swan genes." He coughs and winces in pain. "I'm proud of you, Bella. I might not have shown it, but I've always been proud of you, baby. And Emmett as well."

"Dad, why are you talking like this?" I ask, clutching his clammy hand in mine.

I know why. Part of me is angry that he's waiting until now to seek retribution, but who am I to deny him this?

"I'm not stupid, my Bell." He reaches up and brushes a tear off my cheek. "I just want you to know that I love you. And that I'm sorry."

"I love you, too," I hiccup.

I don't understand why I'm so sad. I wonder if I should call Emmett, if he'd want to know what's going on.

"You're gonna be a good momma. Just like Renee." His voice grows tired all of a sudden.

As if on cue the door opens and a doctor steps in. He informs me that visiting hours are over for the night and that I can come back tomorrow. When I move to get up, Charlie clutches my hand tightly in his, refusing to let me go.

"I love you, baby Bell," he coughs painfully. "Please remember that. Please."

"I will." I kiss his cheek and exit the room.

Edward's waiting for me with a worried expression. I'm numb as he leads me to the truck. He's already called Emmett and cancelled our drive to visit them. We check into a hotel right down the road from the hospital because we were planning on spending the night at my brother's house.

Edward practically forces me to eat the fast food he's picked up for us. He doesn't even attempt to get me to shower. Instead he pulls my clothes off and helps me dress for bed. I manage to fall asleep in his arms and cling to him. When I wake up two hours later to my phone ringing, my hands are curled in his shirt and are achy from the tension. I manage to answer the phone before it goes to voicemail.

It's Genevieve.

My dad's gone.

The phone falls from my hand and I let out a heart wrenching sob that wakes up Edward.

"Oh darlin', I'm so sorry." He cradles me in his lap and rocks me back in forth. "I'm so sorry."

I'm confused.

I don't understand why this hurts so much.

When I finally manage to calm down, I call my brother. He's upset. It's evident in his voice. We cry together on the phone and he insists that we come to his house anyway.

We don't bother changing. We check out of the hotel and drive to my brother's house in silence. Edward has my hand in his, playing with my ring as we drive down the quiet roads.

Emmett's sitting on his porch, nursing a glass of amber colored liquid when we pull up. I'm out of the car and halfway across the yard when he finally looks up. He catches me in his arms as I cry his name. I punch his muscled chest and scream.

"Why now, Em? Why did he wait until he's about to die to ask for forgiveness? Why did he guilt me into forgiving him?" Rose steps out of the house and closes the door quietly. "Why did this happen?"

My arms grow tired eventually and Emmett keeps his hold on me. I'm reduced to sniffles in my big brother's arms.

"He just wanted to be at peace, Bells. You let him be at peace."

"But I lied," I whisper, exhaustion winning out the battle going on inside of me. "I lied."

"And he probably knew that." Emmett smoothes my hair. "He just wanted to see you one last time."

Edward takes me from Emmett and carries me into the house. He lays me on the guest bed and tries to get undressed, but I don't let him move. My hands curl into his T-shirt as he shimmies out of his jeans.

Rose brings a glass of water and some ibuprofen. "Here sweets," she whispers. "Take this."

I'm not sure if she hears my lethargic whisper that I can't take ibuprofen. She mumbles something to Edward and he tells her that we'll explain in the morning. She shuts the door softly and I find peace.

**Okay I love you bye *waves***

**Till next time lovelies **

**l**

**l**

**V**


	30. Chapter 30

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**I wasn't going to update today but I just had to.. it being Edward's birthday and all. **

**Has everyone been obsessively watching the trailer? **

**ENJOY :D**

**Chapter Thirty**

Edward and I spend the next three days with my brother and his family. We told them about the pregnancy, too. They were really happy for us.

Rose decides to use us as free child care, but uses the excuse that we're going to need all of the practice we can get in before the twins arrive. We don't mind though. Charlotte is a doll, you can't help but love her, and Peter is a trip to be around. Together they manage to keep me busy and my mind off of everything.

"Auntie Bewwa?" Peter asks after he's instructed me on the right amount of soap that goes into his bubble bath.

"Yeah bud?" I swipe the hair out of my face and test the water one more time before stripping him of his clothes.

"Whens your babies gonna be here?" He steps out of his big boy underwear and takes my hand so that he can safely get into the tub.

"In a few months." His brow puckers as he goes over the amount of time a few months entails. So I help him out. "Remember last year when you helped Miss Esme cook the turkeys for Thanksgiving?"

His smile is megawatt as he nods remembering the fun he had helping Edward's mom baste the turkey and then cutting it with the giant electric carving knife.

"Well, your little cousins should be here for Thanksgiving."

"Is gonna be boys? Or girls?" He closes his eyes and tilts his head back as I lather his hair with tear free shampoo.

"We won't know for a little while longer," I laugh.

Peter asks if he can pour the water on his head and I end up drenched.

"Peter. Calm down, bud," I say firmly, snatching the cup from him before he can soak me anymore.

His lips quivers.

Rose warned me about this, but I haven't encountered it. A small whimper leaves his mouth as his shoulders shake and he scrunches his eyes, squeezing one giant alligator tear out of the corner of both eyes. This is a test. To see just how far he can go with me.

"Now Peter," I sigh. "That wasn't a very nice thing to do to Aunt Bella. She doesn't want to take a bath right now and you got her all wet from your bath."

"Yous come in wif me?" he shrugs, reaching for the cup.

"No. I just said I don't want to take a bath. Sit down so I can rinse your hair out." I point to the tub and he plops down unceremoniously.

"Yous mean!" he yells as angry tears begin to fall.

"No. I'm a grown up and that means you have to listen to me."

"Yous not my fwiend no mowe." He crosses his arms with a huff and sticks his tongue out at me.

"Fine." I stand up, making sure to keep an eye on him and open the door. "Edward!"

"Whatcha doin', Auntie Bewwa?" Peter calls from the tub, but I ignore him.

"What's wrong, darlin'?" Edward asks as he rounds the corner with a happy bouncing Charlotte in his arms.

"I want to trade," I say, holding my arms out. "Peter isn't my friend anymore, so you get to finish his bath."

"NO!" Peter wails, splashing water all around. I'm five feet away and I can feel water droplets hitting me.

"PETER!" I yell. "Knock it off. _Right now."_

He stops splashing and sobbing. I stop screaming and breathing. We stare at each other for a minute in silence before he sits down so gently the water merely ripples. He looks down at the water, his head hung in shame.

I move towards him. "Peter..." I start, but Edward grabs my arm gently and passes Charlotte over to me. She's too quiet, almost as if she's afraid of me.

"Go on into the nursery, darlin'," Edward whispers. "I got him."

"But-" I hiccup, realizing for the first time that I'm crying.

"Just go." He pushes me out of the door and shuts it.

Charlotte coos in an effort to get my attention. Her smile is warming and infectious. Her diaper is dirty, so I rush to the nursery. I've changed about forty diapers in the three days we've been here, yet she continues to surprise me.

"Now we're going to get through this together, right?" I use a silly voice to make her smile. "No grabbing at the nasty stuff in your Pampers, right?"

I ready ten wipes along the changing table before tackling the hard part. The second the Velcro straps are off, Charlotte rolls over with a squeal. But I'm prepared and firmly hold her down while she grunts in frustration.

"We had a deal, missy." I grab wipe after wipe to clean her butt, somehow managing to get the diaper on with one hand. "No smushed bananas for you. No ma'am." She smiles a gummy smile up at me.

"Threatening my daughter with starvation?" Emmett booms, scaring the living daylights out of me. I turn to find him standing in the doorway, a big smile on his face.

"What? No. She's like an animal when it comes to diaper changes," I defend, snapping her sleeper shut and pulling her into my arms. "Yes you are."

"You better get used to it, kiddo," he chuckles, holding his big arms out and taking Charlotte from me. "You're gonna have two of her in a little while."

"I yelled at Peter," I blurt out, pulling my quivering bottom lip into my mouth. "I didn't mean to. It just happened. He was splashing and-"

Emmett puts his hand over my mouth to shut me up. "You done?"

I nod behind his meaty paw.

"It's fine. He's having a great time with Edward in the tub right now," he smiles. "He played the friend card, eh?"

I nod again.

"No one is perfect, Bells. Rose and I have raised our voices at him before," he chuckles. "Rose more than me though. Gotta be the favorite, ya know?"

I nod for the third time and he realizes he still has his hand over my mouth.

"Sorry kid."

"It's fine. I just felt _so_ bad."

"Did ya cry?" he asks, tossing Charlotte into the air.

"NO!" I stomp my foot.

"Oh she did didn't she, Char Char? Auntie Bella's a big cry baby, ain't she?" He burrows his face into her neck. "Yes she is."

"Shut up, Emmett."

"Shut don't go up, cars go fast tell me again and I'll kick you're a-"

"Finish that sentence and I'll rinse your mouth out with soap," Rose snaps as she enters the room, followed by Edward. He has Peter wrapped in a towel and he himself is dry as a bone. _How'd he do that?_

"Do we have something to say to Auntie Bella?" Edward asks Peter.

"Uh huh." His tan face flushes with embarrassment as he looks at me poking his little bottom lip out. "I's sowwy Auntie Bewwa. I's yo fwiend. I's not even mad."

"I'm sorry, top, buddy. I shouldn't have yelled at you." We share a tender loving hug.

"Well, crisis averted," Rose snorts. "Emmett put the chit-rins to bed."

Emmett sighs. "Yes dear."

He carries both of the kids out of the room, Peter by his ankle. He's laughing the entire way, oblivious to the fact that his towel is still on the floor beside where I'm standing.

Rose watched the door to make sure they are out of earshot before turning to us. "Well, you passed the diaper test and the cranky toddler phase. I think y'all be alright."

Edward snorts and I roll my eyes.

"Rose, we know you weren't really testing us. I can understand that you and Emmett needed time away from the house."

"Oh. Well in that case, can you babysit next month so that we can have a weekend on the town?" she asks with a raised brow. "You're the only ones we trust with them."

"You don't have to guilt or play kiss ass either. We'd love to."

"So long as it doesn't entwine with our honeymoon," Edward presses.

"We're going on a honeymoon?"

"Why wouldn't we darlin'?"

"I dunno, 'cause of the babies," I laugh in explanation.

"Oh, we're going on a honeymoon, darlin'." Edward looks over at me lustfully.

"Ew, bedroom eyes! Ew!" Rose covers her face. "Please vacate the nursery and be mindful that there are little ears in this house. Ew!"

I giggle as Edward grabs my hand and pulls me down the hall towards the guest room.

**till next time lovers :D**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	31. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**No excuse for being late.**

**Happy Birthday A is for angel. :D I'm using your birthday for my excuse as to why I waited until today lol**

**Enjoy**

**Chapter Thirty One**

"Ahh... feels good to be home," I moan, burrowing under the covers of our bed.

"You can say that again," Edward grins lazily as he slides in beside me.

"Ahh... feels good to be home." I let out a giggle.

"Smart ass."

"More like fat ass," I groan, rubbing my stomach. "I probably should have shared that second plate of biscuits and gravy."

"Eh, the babes were hungry," he chuckles. "But it was probably a bad idea to get dessert."

"Key lime pie, Edward," I swat at him lazily. "You know it's my weakness."

"Apparently it's the reason behind your suffering, too, darlin'." His hand roams my bloated stomach. "You want some Pepto?"

"Ugh! I couldn't fit a teaspoon of anything in here."

"Maybe we should take a nap?" Edward offers behind a yawn.

"Nap sounds good," I slur, reaching behind so that I can unlatch my bra because sleeping in that damn thing is uncomfortable to say the least. "Sleep the day away."

"Back to the real world tomorrow."

"Don't remind me." I snuggle into his side and fall asleep almost immediately.

"Bella?" Someone shakes me. But I just fell asleep. Surely whatever they need can wait.

"Bella, wake up, darlin'." Apparently it can't.

"Just ten more minutes, babe. Please." I don't open my eyes, but I manage to poke my bottom lip out as far as it will go.

"The lawyer representing Charlie's will just called," Edward whispers into my ear. "His wife requested that the will be read today."

My eyes fly open. "He's not even in the ground yet, Edward."

"I know, darlin'. But you said it yourself. You just want to get through everything." He climbs off of the bed and hands me a hand full of crackers. "Eat these before you get up so you don't get sick. I'll start the shower."

I nod and nibble my crackers while he busies himself in the bathroom.

It's a mere two hours later we're sitting in the lobby of a Mrs. Julia Jenks, family lawyer, waiting for the other people that are required to be present. I'm feeling queasy, but I know it's just the babies. Edward read somewhere that the sicker you are, the healthier your baby is. I call bullshit.

"You want some crackers?" he whispers, pointing down the hall where the vending machine sits.

"Please. And a Sprite," I say softly, trying to swallow the nausea.

Emmett declined the invitation to the reading of the will. He sent me an affidavit giving me permission to speak on his behalf via fax, so it's just Edward and myself. He kisses my hand and leaves me sitting on the bench.

He isn't gone five seconds when the double doors swing open and Sue enters the lobby, flanked by Seth and Leah and Leah's fiance.

The nausea doubles.

She sees me and stops short. "Oh, you made it."

Rather than speaking, I only nod because I'm afraid of vomiting. My stomach is rolling and my natural reaction is to place my arms around me in an effort to stop the sensations. Sue's eyes flash towards my arms and back to my face.

"So he wasn't lying then? You're pregnant."

"Yes she is." Edward pushes past her with a can of Sprite and a package of Ritz. "Here you go, darlin'."

"Thanks babe," I smile weakly.

Sue doesn't like being ignored. With a huff, she walks up to the receptionist and practically barks that the entire party is present. She turns back towards me.

"Where's the boy?"

"Huh?"

"Your brother?"

"Oh, he wasn't able to make it. I'll be representing the both of us," I swallow, leaning into Edward. He rubs my arm comfortingly.

"Of course," Sue nods curtly before leading her family across the room. They haven't been sitting for two minutes before she starts ranting about the wait. Edward and I have been here for at least thirty minutes longer than them, but we remain quiet.

The door behind the secretary's desk opens and a young woman in a business suit enters the lobby. "I'm so sorry for the wait," she says, walking over to Sue. "Mrs. Swan I'm very sorry to be meeting you under such circumstances."

Sue nods her head ignorantly. "Let's just get this over with." She leads the way to the conference room.

"Bells," Edward says, pulling on my hand.

"'Let's just get this over with'?" I snap. "'Let's just get this over with'? He's been dead for less than a week! How in the hell can she act like this?"

"I don't know, darlin'. Let's just get in there, alright?"

Edward and I sit across from Charlie's second family.

Sue gets the house.

Sue gets the savings account.

Sue gets all of the belongings.

Emmett and I will receive what's left of the life insurance policy after the funeral and all of the monetary debts are paid off, such as Leah and Seth's vehicles and the condo that Charlie and Sue put a down payment on last year. All in all, my brother and I are getting about fifteen hundred dollars apiece. It's not the money or the fact that we won't be receiving any of the few sentimental things from our childhood that I care about.

The look of sheer satisfaction that covers Sue's face when Mrs. Jenks reads off the stipulations is enough.

I inform the lawyer that she can deposit the money into the savings account Emmett and Rose created for their children and gather my belongings. Edward's hand is firmly in mine. He stops before we exit the room.

"Sue, if you wouldn't mind calling and informing us when and where the funeral will be held, we'd appreciate it."

Sue doesn't bat an eyelash. "My husband's funeral was yesterday afternoon. He decided to be cremated, so there won't be a burial."

"I hope you rot in hell!" The words are out of my mouth before I can catch myself.

Sue smiles wickedly. "Best of luck with your life. I hope you're able to bring up your children with more manners than you seem to have been raised."

"Your husband wouldn't have known anything about how I was raised now, would he?" I scream.

The adrenaline pumping through my veins is making me light headed. Edward wraps his arm around my waist and hoists me out of the room.

"You gotta calm down, beautiful," he urges as he lifts me into the passenger side of his truck.

"I-I can't! I'm just so ANGRY!" I sob. "That bitch-"

"It's over, darlin'. There's nothing you or I can do to change anything." He kisses my cheek. "So getting upset is only putting you and the babies in danger. Deep breaths."

We breathe together until I'm able to control myself. Edward showers my face with kisses until I'm calmed down enough to let go of his hands. I'm still shaking and angry, but I'm also exhausted and surprisingly hungry.

"Edward?"

"Yeah." He wipes under my eyes with a handkerchief.

"Nothing."

As if he knows exactly what I need he leans down and whispers in my ear that we should go get something to eat. I smile shyly and kiss his chin. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

**Well.. Sue's a bitch**

**What would you have liked to see happen to her karma wise?**

**Laters lovelies **

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	32. Chapter 32

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**I feel sort of bad because everyone took Sue's karmatic punishment a little serious. She is a bitch but Charlie was a douche. There wasn't a hidden will that entitled Emmett and Bella to all of the guilt money. Sue won't be getting hit by a car, shanked by her daughter or drown in a tub... in fact she's not even in the rest of the story. **

**Enjoy :D**

**Chapter Thirty Two**

I'm sitting on the edge of the tub when Edward enters the bathroom. He's just woken up and is rubbing the sleep out of his eyes as he shuffles over to the toilet and lifts the lid. I watch him jerk his boxers down and start peeing before I say anything.

"Hi." It's only a sniff, but enough to make him jump a foot in the air.

"Holy shit, Bells!" he yells. "What are you doing in here?"

"Just sitting," I shrug as tears continue to trail down my cheeks.

"Why are you crying?"

"'Cause."

He yawns and grabs a few napkins to clean up the mess he made when I scared him. He washes his hands and brushes his teeth before turning to me. Kneeling in front of where I sit and gathering my hands in his.

"'Cause why?"

"'Cause I'm a fat cow," I hiccup, moving my arms and standing up to show him that my pants will no longer button, even if I suck my stomach all the way in. It was a struggle getting them over my hips this morning. "See."

The worried look practically melts off of his face and in its place is an amused smirk. "You're carrying twins, darlin'."

"Yeah, but we're getting married tomorrow and my dress already looks like a muumuu," I stress. "I'm going to look like a cow because I am a cow."

"Bells..."

"I want to call the wedding off." I turn away from Edward and blow my nose into a wadded up tissue I'd been crying into since I got dressed earlier. "I don't want anyone to see me like this."

"You're being ridiculous, beautiful."

"Oh don't patronize me, jerk!" I snap. "I'm a blubbering whale and anything but beautiful right now."

Edward pulls me to him and wraps his arms around my waist. "Don't call me names, pretty girl. And before you fight me, you are beautiful. Even Mouse admits that you have the whole pregnancy glow thing going on. Your face is always flushed and warm looking." He kisses my cheek. "And your tits..." he grunts, "...definitely beautiful; they keep growing and growing." He leans down and kisses each of them affectionately. "And this ass, which is not fat by the way, is perfect."

I snort when he grabs two handfuls of my ginormous ass.

"What can I do to prove it to you, beautiful?"

I shrug.

He sighs, lets me go and leaves the room. I follow him to his side of the bed and watch him pick up his phone. He presses two buttons before holding it up to his ear without looking at me.

"Hi Maggs... I'm just calling to let you know that Liam and Jasper are on their own with the hay delivery... Yeah, everything's fine." He looks up at me. "I need some time to prove to my fiancée that I find her incredibly sexy."

"Edward!" I yell, reaching for the phone. My face is flushed in embarrassment.

"Okay, I'll come out and check on the horses later... Of course I'll bring her with me. That was the plan after all. Alright, bye." He flips his phone shut and turns it on vibrate.

"I can't believe you told Maggie that!" I snap, fanning my face.

"What? It's true," he chuckles. "I can't believe you don't believe me when I say that you're beautiful."

"That's different, Edward."

In an instant I'm swept up in his arms and tossed onto the bed with an unceremonious flop. Thank God I'm wearing a bra because I would have no doubt knocked myself out with one of my giant hooters. Before I can question his motives, my shirt is ripped over my head and the cups of my bra pulled down.

"Edward," I moan loudly as he takes one of my nipples into his mouth and sucks so hard, I'm positive he's leaving a hickey.

His tongue lavishes the skin around it before he takes a bite of the underside, making me squirm. I open my mouth to ask for more when he captures the opposite nipple between his teeth and pulls hard. I yelp.

"Sorry beautiful," he pants against my neck. "You're just so delicious."

"S'okay," I moan as his hand finds the inseam of my jeans.

"You gonna let me take care of you, darlin'?" He rubs his palm against the seam.

"Uh-huh," I squeal, writhing against his hand.

"Let me show you how absolutely sexy..." He kisses both of my breasts before heading south. "...beautiful..." He runs his tongue along the curve of my pot belly. "...and addictive you are to me?"

"Yes," I manage to whisper.

My pants are gone with a flourish and I feel the telltale sign that Edward's ripped another pair of my panties off of me. I want to yell at him because his version of foreplay is costing me a pretty penny at the local lingerie shop, but I can't because I find it so entirely fuck hot. I gasp as he licks the tingling spots where the elastic burned me when he tore them off.

"'Cause I'm gonna show you, darlin'." He smiles before lowering his head and sucking my clit into his mouth as he thrusts two callused fingers into my throbbing center.

"Oh god!" I groan, bucking into his face and hand with abandon. "Oh god!"

He releases my clit and looks up at me with dark lust filled eyes. "God ain't here right now, darlin'. Just me."

"Edward!" I grab the back of his head and force him to resume his previous position. "Ungh!"

He doesn't let me rest. The second I clamp down on his fingers with a long dragged out moan, he pulls away and shucks his boxers down before thrusting into me without warning. My second orgasm is quick and just as loud as the first.

I barely catch my breath before he's flipped us over so that I'm on top. He's afraid of hurting the babies so this is the position as of late. He lets me set the pace while he takes my bra off completely.

I cover his hands that rest on my hips with my own as I ride him, his thumbs rubbing along my baby bump, only spurring me to move faster. He's raising his hips to meet me thrust for thrust and before I know it, I'm so close. I release one of his hands and place mine between my legs to help speed up the process, but he stops me and stops moving.

"Are you beautiful?" he asks huskily, his voice tense.

"Huh?" I pant, trying to fight his hold on me so that I can move.

I'm so close.

"Do you believe me when I say you're beautiful? Attractive? Sexy?"

"Edward," I groan.

"Answer me or this stops. Right now," he demands. "Because I love you. More than life itself. I couldn't live with myself if you didn't believe that." He raises a hand to my face and runs his thumb across my cheek. "I'd love you unconditionally, no matter what. darlin'."

"Edward," I choke out, tears burning my eyes.

"Do you believe me?"

I nod.

"I can't hear your head rattling, darlin'."

"Yes. I believe y-" A loud yelp leaves me as he starts pounding into me, his hands moving my hips to meet his. "Ah, Edward! Fuck!"

"That's it. Come for me, beautiful," he grits out as his thumb comes in contact with my engorged clit.

I'm a sobbing mess as I come undone on top of him. He comes shortly after and pulls my head down so that he can kiss me.

"Definitely sexy," he whispers before crashing his lips to mine. "And all mine."

"Forever," I pant.

And I do believe him. He finds me beautiful despite my ever growing pants size and my annoying as hell mood swings. And we still have months to go.

But first, we have to get through this wedding alive with all of our limbs intact.

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	33. Chapter 33

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**Sorry it's late.. blame it on the unemployed induced depression that hit last week.. weh**

**ENJOY**

**Chapter Thirty Three**

"Hold still."

"Shut your fucking mouth and get me a drink!" I snap.

"Okay," Alice sighs before muttering to herself, "I'm going to remember that you're hormonal and will refrain from stabbing you in the ass with one of these pins."

"Hmph!" I cross my arms like a petulant child.

"Oh, calm down, Sweets," Rose laughs, handing me a juice box. "You can share with Charlotte."

I suck down the three mouthfuls of juice that the box provides me and crush it in my hand before tossing it onto the vanity in front of me. I'm hormonal and the air condition is out, therefore I give 'bridezilla' a whole new meaning. The only reason I haven't started stomping around destroying buildings and eating the heads off of people is Edward.

He woke me up this morning and made love to me. One last romp in the sack before we get tied down. His words, not mine. That romp had me twenty minutes late getting to Maggie's house so that the girls could help me get ready, but it was so worth it. I was definitely stress free until I got here and Mags informed me that her air condition crapped out on her in the middle of the night. Liam brought a small window unit and set it up in the master bedroom, but we're in the bathroom and I'm freaking boiling.

"Ugh!" I groan, trying to fan myself with my hands.

"You're already half naked; what more do you want, Bella?" Alice snorts.

Yeah, I'm the crazy bride-to-be walking around in a pair of ruffled cheekees and a bra because I'm that hot. Yeah, I look ridiculous and yes, the girls keep commenting on my stomach or the size of my breasts, but I'm trying to cool down.

"To strip down and sit in Maggie's garden tub with a gallon of ice cream and a block of ice." I lift my hair off my neck. "I changed my mind, Alice. You can put my hair up."

"Yes!" she cheers, pulling out a number of different hair accessories. I let her brush my hair up and start braiding it while Rose gets to work on my toes. Maggie is using a giant yard sale sign to fan me so I don't vomit. They are all flushed and have a sheen of sweat on their skin.

"Thanks, guys," I choke out.

"NO CRYING!" Alice screams, rushing up to my face with a tissue to catch the tears before they fall.

"I'm sorry. It's just you guys are doing all of this to make me comfortable and pretty and I never said thank you."

"Aww Sweets." Rose leans up and kisses my cheek. "You'll be alright. Hormones are a ragin' and all that, but you'll be ok."

"She's right, Bella," Maggie says, doubling her efforts with the sign. "You're beautiful, so they aren't working very hard."

"You good?" Alice asks nervously, taking the tissue away from my eyes.

"Yeah."

They work quickly and before I know it, I'm about to step into my wedding dress. It's nothing fancy, just a simple white slip dress that accentuates the bump because we're not hiding the fact that we're having a shotgun wedding.

There's a knock on the door, loud and impatient, so Maggie rushes over and throws it open.

"I's commin' to shawe my ice cweam wif Auntie Bewwa," Peter smiles, holding up a carton of sorbet. "Ed-erd sended me."

"Come right in, darlin'," Maggie chuckles as Alice unzips my dress.

"Just in case. There's no way we could spot clean a white dress if you spilled." She smiles as she lays it on Maggie's bed.

Peter and I share our treat while the girls get ready. I'm glad Alice had me take off my dress because Peter insists on feeding me and his hand eye coordination isn't exactly top notch. Luckily Rose has baby wipes in her purse and it's an easy clean up. Peter leaves with an empty carton and a sugary smile.

"I's lovin' you, Auntie Bewwa!" He hugs my legs. "Ed-erd and I's gonna share."

"Okay buddy," I giggle. "I'm loving you, too." The second the door closes he's yelling for his dad to come get him.

"I hope he never stops calling me Auntie Bewwa," I sigh happily as I step into my dress for the second time today.

"Well, take that up with his speech therapist," Rose snorts, holding Charlotte up by her hands so that she can stand. "You look beautiful, Sweets."

"Really?" I bite my lip.

"Take a look," Alice chuckles, turning me towards the mirror.

One look and I'm a blubbering mess. No more mirrors for Bella Swan soon to be Cullen.

Emmett's presenting me.

There's no Pachelbel Canon or flower girls and ring bearers.

Nope. Just a justice of the peace and my man waiting for me under a tree filled with white blossoming flowers. Our guests sit in lawn chairs covered with white fabric and orange ribbon because that's the color we agreed upon.

The second Edward sees me the tears come. From the both of us. He meets us half way and pulls my face to his for a sweet kiss.

"Ahem. Son, you do realize you're not supposed to do that yet right?" the justice asks with a chuckle.

"Don't care," Edward chokes out. "Love you."

"Love you, too."

We share a smile so big and bright my cheeks hurt, but I don't care. We decided to stick with the formal vows so the ceremony is short. Words of love and promises of being together are said. Rings are exchanged and the most tender first kiss as a married couple has me sobbing against Edward's lips.

The hay barn has been cleared out for the reception and Alice has gone as far as to invite the whole town without Edward and I knowing. We share our first official dance before I'm swept away by my brother.

"Dang, you're gonna be huge!" His laughter is booming when he realizes there's something between us.

I punch him in the gut.

"I'm only jokin'. When the hell did you grow up?" he asks, pulling me as close as he can. "Seems like just yesterday you were screaming at me to come kill a spider in your bedroom and now you're married and knocked up."

"Sorry bud, but I'm pretty sure it was the other way around," I laugh. "Mr. Arachnophobia."

"Pfft. Your word against mine," he chuckles. "Love ya, Bells."

"Love ya, too, Em."

Jessica makes her way through the small crowd and stops in front of us. "Mind if I cut in?"

"Sure," I nod, handing her Emmett's hand, but she bypasses and grabs mine.

"Be gone, brother bear. I'll take her from here," Jess laughs. Emmett pouts and walks off to find his family.

"How's it going, Jess?" I ask.

"Oh no, missy. I want a dance." She forces me to dance with her. We move around the dance floor slowly, her being the boy and me being the girl of the duo. I have my arms wrapped around her shoulders and she has hers around my hips. "Congrats."

"Thanks. How are things going for you and Sam?"

"Great," she beams. "It's been a couple of weeks, but the boys are just dolls. Even on their bad days. We're having a ball and they were happy to be invited. Thanks."

"No problem," I shrug.

"Promise to keep a secret?" she asks.

I nod.

Jess being the adult that she claims to be holds out her pinky for a promise that I haven't made since I was in elementary school. Once she deems me trustworthy enough, she leans down and whispers in my ear. "I'm getting married."

"REALLY?" I squeal.

"Yes. Jesus! Bust a girls eardrum why don't cha." She holds her ear.

"Oh Jess, I'm so happy for you!" I squeeze her.

"Thanks Bells. I wanted to tell you when it happened, but I've been busy playing step mom and what not."

"I understand. I've been busy with... everything."

"Hey beautiful." Edward sidles up next to us with his mother in his arms.

Esme Cullen's been crying since Edward met me halfway. I take that back. I'm not sure she ever stopped crying after we told her of the engagement or the pregnancy.

"Hey there, handsome."

Jessica offers her hand to Esme and whisks away the crying woman.

"Ready to get out of here? Honeymoon's awaitin'," he says, grabbing my hand and leading me off the dancefloor.

"Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise. But you'll like it. Trust me."

"I wouldn't of said 'I do' if I didn't."

**I think their honeymoon is my favorite of all my honeymoons written thus far.**

**Till next time lovelies.. I'm about to have my second phone interview for a job i want/need :D **

**l**

**l**

**V**


	34. Chapter 34

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**Still unemployed, About to leave for a six day excursion with the old lady across the street to Tennessee.. Wish me luck :D**

**ENJOY**

**Chapter Thirty Four**

"Oh god, Edward!" I scream, waddling down the hallway of the cabin he's rented for our honeymoon.

I hear the thundering sound of his footsteps on the hard wood floors before he rounds the corner and gathers me into his arms as best as he can. I'm soaking wet, butt naked, and I still have shampoo in my hair. I cry out as some gets in my eye.

"Ow! There's a giant bug in the shower! It crawled on me," I shudder with a hand over my throbbing eyeball. "Go kill it."

This whole cabin by the lake honeymoon had been so romantic when we got here three days ago. But shortly after arriving I started having my reservations. I didn't want to hurt Edward's feelings. I lied and told him I didn't want to sleep on the bed the cabin was equipped with because it wasn't our marriage bed. And he bought it. Instead of sleeping on the stained and sunken mattress, we pallet on the floor using blankets I bought when we were walking around town our first night.

Yes, it's uncomfortable, but we spend most of our time making love like any other newlywed couple would, so it's bearable. I secretly couldn't wait to go home our second night here when we were interrupted by a feral cat and a raccoon fighting on the porch because we didn't properly dispose of our garbage.

"Go rinse your hair in the kitchen sink, darlin'. I'll go kill the bug," Edward sighs and walks away.

I watch him with one eye, feeling extremely guilty because he wanted this to be romantic and memorable. There's nothing romantic about rust colored water when you first turn on the faucets and I will never forget waking up to the giant grasshopper staring me in the eye yesterday morning. I'm trying for Edward's sake, but it's so hard. I just want to go home to our bed. Our shower. Our home.

There's a bang in the bathroom and I all but forget about the stinging in my eye.

"Edward?" I call, afraid to move.

Another bang followed by repetitive clanks and groans.

By the time Edward emerges from the bathroom, my throat is hoarse from screaming his name and he's covered in a sheen of sweat. I take a step towards him, but he doesn't let me touch him.

"Darlin', I'm sorry but we're gonna have to cut this short. The wall in the shower just collapsed and it's... disgusting." His head hangs in shame.

My poor guy.

Sighing I walk over and grab his hand. "We still have a couple of days. Why don't we go check into a nice hotel?" I ask, my lip quivering. "Or we could just go home. We don't have to tell anyone we're back yet. We could just lay around and be fat."

"Really?" he pouts.

"Really, babe. I don't care what we do." I hold up my left hand showing off my rings. "I've already gotcha. And that's better than a cabin by the lake or a fancy bed and breakfast."

"I'm sorry, darlin'. I really thought you were going to like this." He waves his hand around. "And it turned to shit."

"Hey. It's the thought that counts." I move to give him a kiss, but stop short. "Shower first, kiss later."

Edward nods and goes back into the bedroom to start packing. Whatever he's done in the bathroom has shut the water off in the rest of the house, so I use a gallon of purified water to somewhat rinse the soap out of my hair. We are packed, given a refund on the rental and driving as far away from the lake house as we can.

Edward's in a sour mood at the moment.

The man that rented him the cabin didn't like our complaints and wasn't going to refund the money, until Edward threatened to call the city because it was obvious the place needed to be condemned. He gave a halfhearted apology for almost ruining our honeymoon and forked over the check.

Instead of going home, Edward checks us into a hotel on the outskirts of town, refusing to spend the remainder of our honeymoon at home. The room is fancy and has a giant tub. I attack Edward as soon a we are alone, which turns his frown upside down, and we spend the last four days making love, soaking in the tub, ordering ridiculously expensive room service and giving each other massages, which led to more love making. This is the honeymoon I wanted and I try to make the best of the short time we have left.

"If I wasn't already pregnant, I'd think you were trying to knock me up," I laugh breathlessly as my husband stands me upright as the shower spray beats down on me.

"If it were possible, I'd think we were going for triplets."

I freeze because I haven't exactly read up on Baby 101 and don't in fact know if that is possible. Edward's arm snakes around my middle and rubs along my bump. "Calm down, darlin'. It's not possible."

I laugh nervously, but continue to wash my hair. He swats my hands away and takes over, so I lean against the cool tile as the last tremors from our round of shower sex wears off. We are both insatiable and so much more comfortable in the hotel than we were in that shady cabin.

We wrap ourselves in the plush robes that were provided and eat room service on the balcony overlooking a small lake. Today we're heading home and both of us are feeling a little sentimental.

"It's weird," I comment, spearing a piece of melon on my fork and popping it into my mouth. "I wanted to go home so bad when we were at the cabin, but now that we're here, I sort of want to stay."

Edward chuckles, feeding me a grape he dipped in yogurt.

"However will we set up a nursery here, darlin'? You don't suppose the twins could sleep in the dresser drawers."

"No. I was just saying I like it here. We'll definitely have to come back."

"I promise we will. I'll take you for an official honeymoon once everything settles down, too." He kisses my wedding rings.

"This was our honeymoon, Edward. And it was perfect just the way it turned out."

"Really?"

"Yes really. We'll never forget how we spent our first three days as man and wife. My favorite part was this hotel, but I wouldn't change a thing because nothing's perfect, babe." I lean over the counter and kiss his lips.

"S' not like the movies?" he laughs.

"If it was, our honeymoon would be under the humor crack fic genre," I join in.

The rest of the morning is piling together all of our belongings that we've managed to collect and lose track of over the past few days. Our drive home is long, but I fight to stay awake for the entire thing, even if that means I'm dead on my feet when we do arrive back at the house. Edward insists on carrying me over the threshold and we laugh when he rams my head into the wall in the hallway on the way to the bedroom.

"See. Nothing's perfect." I rub the tender spot as he strips me of my jeans and climbs into bed next to me.

"You are," he whispers.

"And you are delusional. Maybe we should get your eyes checked."

"I got 20/20, darlin', and trust me when I say this..." He leans up and whispers in my ear. "You're perfect."

He refuses to make love. Instead we cuddle under the blankets until we fall asleep. As nice as the hotel was, I'm glad to be home. We're going to be busy preparing for the next few months and I'm no procrastinator.

**sooooo it was my favorite only because it was imperfectly perfect :D **

**till next time lovelies.. **

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	35. Chapter 35

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**Not dead...just busy...sort of**

**Chapter Thirty Five**

Time is passing by so quickly it leaves my head spinning.

My pregnancy is halfway over and I can't wait to meet our little girls. Yes, two little girls will be here in less than four months because multiples tend to come early. I'm already as big as a house and the girls are extremely active.

"Whatcha thinkin' about, darlin'?" Edward asks as he maneuvers his truck down the bumpy unpaved road that is Dairy Road.

The babies love the bumpy ride and continue to punch and kick at my hand that rests over them. They enjoy anything active and keep me up all night after Edward fucks me, which is often because my libido has tripled since I entered my second trimester. He doesn't complain because he knows what's good for him.

My moods... they give me whiplash. I think I know what it feels like to be bipolar now.

"About everything," I yawn because last night happened to be one of those sleepless nights. Edward took me over the back of the couch and I had giant Mexican jumping beans flailing around the second I laid down to go to sleep.

"Are you excited for your baby shower?" he asks.

His hand trails across the bench seat and rests over my stomach where the girls are wreaking havoc on my bladder.

The baby shower was supposed to be a surprise. Jessica and Alice were able to swallow their pride and work together to plan in secret. It would have gone perfectly well if Alice didn't try to scare me during one of the Cullens' dinners.

**Flashback:**

_"Bella!" Esme cries as she helps me out of the truck. "Look at how b-"_

_"Onay alkingtay boutaay hetay ellybay izesay," Edward cuts her off. "We're having issues in the size department."_

_"Edward called me fat!" I cry to his mother._

_Esme gasps and raises her hand to slap him, but he catches her hand. "Hey now. I did not call her fat. I just told her that there wasn't enough room in her truck for us to maneuver."_

_"Maneuver?" Esme turns to me. _

_"I wanted to have sex and he told me I was too fat." I wipe my eyes._

_"I did not. I merely told her that we couldn't and that we should start taking my truck because it's got a king cab," Edward explains._

_"Edward, you didn't!" Esme covers her mouth in shame and turns to me. "Oh, my dear. You're growing to accommodate the girls. Don't let my ignorant son make you feel insecure."_

_"Thanks." I hug her tightly._

_"But-" Edward stammers, but Esme cuts him off._

_"Go find your father. It looks like he might need to beat some manners into your thick skull." And then she mutters. "Calling your pregnant wife fat. The nerve."_

_I nod pathetically._

_"Why don't we head inside?" she asks. "Alice and Jasper are working on some homemade ice cream and I'm sure they could use a taste tester."_

_I ignore the ass hat that is my husband and let her lead me into the house with the promise of homemade ice cream. It's hot outside and I've been drowning my sorrows in all the cool sugar filled treats I can lay my chubby fingers on._

_I slip my shoes off, then say, "I'm going to go to the restroom real quick." I rest my hand over my stomach. "Just in case."_

_I've taken to peeing every chance I get because the girls like to use my bladder as a trampoline and they always choose the moment I realize that I have to pee. Esme chuckles and heads for the kitchen. I manage to get to the bathroom, but find that it's occupied._

_I raise my hand to knock when the door flies open and Alice screams my name, scaring the living daylights out of me. I start bawling before she realizes what she's done._

_She takes one look at the pink cotton shorts that I'm wearing as the spot blooms._

_"Oh my gawd, Bella!" she cries. "Did I make you go into early labor?"_

_"No, you idiot! You made me pee my pants!" I sob._

_Her crying stops immediately and turns into a cackle that rivals the Wicked Witch of the West. "Oh my gawd!"_

_Esme shows up to defuse the situation because I'm about to strangle her daughter, pee pants and all. She sends me to the master bedroom to take a shower with the promise that she'll scrounge around for something that I can wear._

_I'm just stepping out of the shower when Alice walks in._

_"Knock much?"_

_"Says the woman that walked around practically naked on her wedding day." She rolls her eyes and hands me a pair of sweats that have been cut off. "I told mom you'd be put off wearing her granny panties and we couldn't find any pants of hers that would fit you, so I cut a pair of dad's sweats off."_

_"Thanks."_

_"I'm sorry, Bella. I really didn't think I'd scare you into having an accident." Her smile says otherwise. "And I feel that it's my obligation to inform you that Jess and I are planning a surprise baby shower for you next week. I don't want you to get scared and have another accident because there's gonna be a lot of people there."_

_"Thanks Alice." I grab the pants and point to the door._

**End flashback**

"Yeah, I feel like getting pampered." I lean into the seat. "And Alice let me pick the cake. Mmm... red velvet."

"I'd ask you to save me a piece, but I know you," he chuckles.

"Funny," I snort humorlessly. "Sounds like my husband wants to spend another night on the couch."

"Oh come on, darlin'. You know I'm just playin'," he immediately starts backtracking as he should.

He pulls into Jessica's driveway and I throw the door open and slide out. "I was, too. Pick me up at six," I laugh, blowing him kiss before heading to the house.

He waits until I'm at the door before pulling out of the driveway with a not so subtle honk. The door slides open and Jess steps out giving me a hug.

"Glad you could come, Bells. The boys are excited to see you." She doesn't know that I've already been informed of the would-be-surprise. But I promised Alice that I wouldn't blow her cover and go with it.

"I'm glad to see them, too. Are we still making brownies?" I ask, following her into the house.

I can smell food.

My pregnancy has given me a super hero power of being able to smell food from a mile away and I can distinctly detect the scent of Italian. I hope it's lasagna, but I'll settle for simple spaghetti because I'm not picky. Food is food to a pregnant woman. I like it all.

She leads me through the house and out the back door where everyone is waiting. The entire backyard is decorated via Pepto Bismol pink. The balloons, the streamers, the table cloth, even the napkins are pink.

"SURPRISE!" everyone yells.

I've practiced my surprise face.

My hand flies to my mouth and I start to gush about how surprised I am. Alice sends me a knowing smirk and comes over to hug me.

"We'd be in Hollywood if we were meant to be actresses, Bells," she snorts. "You suck."

I'm passed around and my belly is touched by everyone who wants to feel the girls squirm around, but it's useless. They are down for the count having been up all night and part of the morning.

There's a giant banner hanging between two trees that reads: TAKE YOUR TIME, REGAN AND MEGAN!

The names that Edward and I agreed upon for our daughters.

"Whatcha think, Sweets?" Rose asks, handing me a plate loaded down with lasagna and a couple of breadsticks.

"It's perfect. Thank you for coming." I kiss her cheek.

"Like I'd miss this for the world." She points across the yard. "Your mother-in-law is trying to kidnap my daughter."

Esme is holding Charlotte on her lap while she spoons icing from the back of the ginormous pink bootie cake into her mouth.

"She keeps feeding her all that sugar and she can have her. For the night at least."

"She'll crash soon," I laugh.

Rose and Jess lead me over to the long table sitting in the shade. There's a giant stack of presents and they make me sit the closest to it so that I won't have to get up when it's time to open them. I've just sent Jess back to the food table to get me some more when one of the bigger boxes starts moving.

I scream but manage to keep my shorts dry as the top of the box flies open and a familiar face pops up.

"Surprise, baby girl!" Her hair is short and pixie-like, but I'd recognize the voice and face from anywhere.

"Mom!"

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	36. Chapter 36

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**In response to the fuckery the fandom is currently dealing with I decided to share some love :) **

** Thirty Six**

"I thought you weren't coming back until next month?" I ask once I've calmed down. We're sitting in the kitchen so that we can have a little privacy.

"Oh, I couldn't miss anymore. When you called and told me about the girls, I decided to cut my trip short." Her hands haven't left my belly since she saw it. The twins aren't moving much, but she doesn't care. "It took me a couple of weeks, but I'm here."

"I'm so happy!"

"I know, baby. I missed you," she laughs. "I was going to wait for you to open the box, but I didn't anticipate it being so freakishly hot inside there. I wanted to surprise you."

"You did," I stress. "Thank you."

She informs me that she's planning on getting an apartment close by so that she can come help out once the girls arrive. She's not going on any trips for a while, but she's going to continue writing her articles for the non-profit. I'm telling her about the horrendous cabin by the lake when the door swings open.

"Bells, I know you're glad to see your mom, but we've got a group of ladies out here that request your presence," Jess laughs.

"Sorry." My mom helps me stand and leads me outside.

They make a belly cast and set it out in the sun to dry while we play humorous baby shower games. The plan is for everyone that attended the party to write a small tidbit of advice on the cast before they leave. They guess how many toilet paper squares it will take to wrap around my stomach and it's no surprise that Maggie wins. She can measure a horse from four feet away.

We race sucking apple juice out of baby bottles and I get frustrated when the roof of my mouth grows sore from the suction and take the lid off. Everyone laughs and I get a pink candle shaped like a baby bottle as a prize.

There are so many games I can barely keep up with the rules or objective of the one we're playing before I'm handed something for the next.

Esme has her hands full with a sugar high Charlotte, so she doesn't participate.

Alice loses game after game, eventually giving up and announcing that it's cake time. She makes me cut the first slice and then gets to work serving everyone. My piece is bigger than everyone else's and that doesn't stop me from going for seconds before everyone is served. Jess laughs, but I just use the excuse that the sugar will get the twins up and moving around in no time, so she lets it slide.

"Presents?" Rose asks once I've managed to scarf down half my weight in red velvet goodness.

I rub my stomach and tell her that I'm going to the bathroom first so I won't have to stop in the middle. I grab my bag so that I can call Edward once I'm finished.

"Hey darlin'. How's your shower goin'?" he asks, picking up on the first ring.

"Fantastic! The food was so good," I groan earning a chuckle. "And my mom surprised me. She came back early."

"I know. She called me last week and told me to keep you away from Emmett and Rose's place until the shower."

"You sneaky sneaky man," I pout. "What are you up to today?"

"Oh nothing. Your brother and Peter stopped by, so we're doing some shopping."

"For what?"

"Noneyah!" he laughs.

"Fine. I better get back out there. I'm about to open my presents." I stifle a yawn against my hand. "I might have to lay down for a bit after that though."

"Jess and Alice have spent a lot of time preparing for this shower, Bells. If you fall asleep in the middle, it might insult them."

"Well, when they are carrying around two human beings in their stomachs, they can whine then. Who throws a baby shower that consists of lunch and dinner? Never mind. Don't answer that. Your sister does, that's who," I snort, checking my makeup in the mirror before I go back out. "I'll try to stay awake. See you at seven?"

"On the dot, darlin'. Have fun." He makes a kiss sound. "Love you."

"We love you, too," I choke out, resting my hand over my stomach. "All three of us."

"Don't cry, darlin'," he sighs.

"Happy tears," I sniff. "And I can't help it."

I hang up the phone after we say goodbye once more, and step out of the bathroom to find Esme with Charlotte, who's now conked out on her shoulder.

"You alright, Bella?" she asks, sliding into the bathroom and grabbing a washcloth to clean Charlotte's sticky face off. My niece doesn't even stir. She's definitely crashed from her sugar high.

"I'm alright." I blow my nose. "Just emotional and missing Edward."

"It's only a couple of hours, baby," she chuckles, hiking Charlotte back onto her shoulder. "The baby shower will pass by quickly and before you know it, he'll be here to pick you up."

"I know. I just like being with him. He always knows what I want or need before I do."

"Well, let me go lay this chicken down in her play pen and I'll see about getting you everything you need, alright?" She brushes her thumb under my eye to catch a falling tear. "And there's nothing wrong with being emotional. Hell, I cry all the time! Hell, I cry so much, my husband runs the opposite direction."

I laugh and head back out to the back yard. Everyone can tell I've been crying, but no one says anything. I take my seat next to the stack of presents and my mother takes the seat next to mine with a tablet and a pen.

"Thank you cards," she explains.

"Oh."

I receive more diapers than I'll know what to do with, but any of the guests that arrive that already have children ensure that that will probably last us the first week home from the hospital and I gulp. Receiving blankets, tiny little terry cloth washcloths and more matching pink themed clothes than I can count has me in tears.

They insist that I lay the clothing on my belly and take pictures. I can't believe that in a few short months I'll be dressing Megan and Regan in them. That makes me cry.

My mom gives me a diaper bag filled with all of the necessities and a dual stroller.

Esme decided that the matching infant car seats just screamed for her to buy them. They are the highest rating in infant safety and the tiny dragonflies embroidered into the fabric are too cute. Not to mention the girls' names hand painted in fancy calligraphy along the handles.

"So you don't get mixed up," she winks.

There isn't much left for Edward and I to buy before the babies come. Everyone has been so generous with their gifts and they all allow me my time to cry over each thing. By the time we've managed to pack everything up, the doorbell rings and Jess leaves to pay for the dinner they've had delivered.

I smell the Chinese before I can see it and my stomach growls loudly, earning a chuckle from a few of the girls standing closest to me.

We all gather in the giant media room and you can definitely tell men lived alone in this house before Jess moved in with Sam. The giant surround sound flat screen that adorns the wall is just screaming 'bachelor'. We watch _The Breakfast Club_ because it's my favorite and I'm able to stay awake until the final guest leaves.

"Thank you so much, you two!" I gush when I finally find Alice and Jess in the backyard taking the banners down.

"Don't mention it. That's what family does," Alice says with a laugh because she's still not over the fact that we're now related.

To be truthful, I'm not either.

"Yeah, you never know when it could be one of us in your shoes... you'll have to run around like a chicken with your head cut off to make everything perfect for us," Jessica smiles.

"What?"

"I meant Alice, you twit," she snorts. "I prefer my children old enough to tie their shoes and potty trained."

"Don't worry, Bella. Jasper and I will hold off until the girls are at least out of their terminable two stage," Alice smiles.

"Terrible twos, you mean," I laugh. "Thanks Ali. I'd appreciate that."

She shrugs and goes back to rolling the banner up. I start cleaning up plastic cups and plates, despite their insistence that I sit down and do nothing because it's my party. We're yelling across the yard to communicate about our work lives when I someone grabs me from behind.

I scream.

"It's me, darlin'," Edward chuckles, pulling me into his arms. "I thought you heard me."

I pull out of his arms and stomp towards the house.

"What happened?" he asks no one in particular.

"You jackass! Did you learn nothing from last week? You made her pee her pants!" Alice cackles.

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	37. Chapter 37

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**sorry it's late! still job hunting and wallowing in self-pity... weh**

**Not much farther to go with this story but don't worry. I've got a oneshot, a drabble, another oneshot and an idea brewing :D**

**Chapter Thirty Seven**

"You gonna get out of bed today, darlin'?" Edward asks as he pulls his jeans on.

"Probably not. I finished all of my meetings for the week yesterday," I yawn. "I think I'm going to lay around and be lazy today."

"Hmm. Sounds nice." He grabs his wallet and leans down to kiss me. "I'll be back in a couple of hours."

I grab the collar of his shirt and pull him down. "Or you could stay home with me and we can run around the house naked," I offer as seductively as I can manage, given the fact that I just woke up and I haven't peed, let alone brushed my teeth.

"You know I would love to, darlin'."

"But..." I frown.

"But Mags and Liam left for their trip a couple of days ago and they asked me to make sure Jasper could handle everything on his own." He kisses my lips. "And we're getting a hay delivery this morning. There's no way I can expect him to take care of everything."

"You're right," I sigh, letting go of him, but keeping a hold of his thigh so that he can't stand up. "I guess I'll just skip around the house, baking cookies."

"I do love cookies," he whispers huskily.

I go in for the kill. "Naked."

"I do love naked," he swallows thickly.

"But alone," I sigh dramatically.

Edward clears his throat as he stands up. "I'll be back in an hour. Hour and a half tops."

"Really?" I sit up.

"Really. You better have cookies waiting." He grabs his keys and turns towards the door while I waddle to the bathroom. "And darlin'?"

"Yeah?"

"You better be naked."

And with that he shot me a wink and closed the door behind him.

I get to work and bake the best damn chocolate chip cookies ever fully clothed because that's proper food safety. The girls like them because after scarfing down six of them, they start bouncing around happily, showing off their new talent. I lift my shirt and watch as a stray limb shows up against my skin with their excitement. I remember when Edward witnessed it for the first time: first horror, then disgust and then finally intrigue. Now it's his favorite thing to watch.

I pick up the house and vacuum the living room before jumping in the shower.

"Bells? I'm home!" Edward calls from the bedroom while I'm rinsing off.

"I'll be out in a little while!" I yell.

"Or I could join you," he chuckles, opening the door, clad in only his boxers and the same smirk he had when he said goodbye earlier.

"By all means," I laugh, holding the curtain open so that he can step inside. "How's my boy?"

Edward wraps his arms around my middle and presses his erection into my backside. "He missed you."

"I'm sure he did. I was talking about my other boy." I lean into him. "Shortcake."

"Hmm. You really wanna talk about horses, darlin'?" he whispers into my ear as his hands move to cup my breasts.

"What?" I pant breathlessly.

"Shortcake. You were asking about Shortcake."

"Hmm, I bought some strawberries at the grocery store yesterday. I'd love some." I cover his hands with mine and he tightens his hold, causing me to groan out loud.

Edward chuckles as he massages my sore nipples with callused hands, making me melt against him. His erection is sliding against my back as I force one hand to trail south, over the baby bump and between my legs. His lips suck at the skin at the base of my neck as his fingers slide along my wetness and my hand flies up to my unoccupied breast to continue his previous work.

"Mmm, so wet," he mumbles against my skin. "And I'm not talking about the shower."

"Edward!" I yelp as he thrusts two fingers deep inside me while his thumb makes tight circles on my swollen clit. I want to lean against the tile wall, but my stomachs in the way, so I'm stuck panting and writhing in the middle of the shower while he works my body. When I come, my thighs clamp together so tightly I can feel his knuckles popping, but he doesn't say anything. My hands leave my chest to smack against the wall of the shower.

"Fuck!" I cry in a low drawn out moan. "Meee!"

Edward leans up and licks the shell of my ear. "Oh, I plan on it, darlin'," he whispers huskily before dragging me out of the tub and to the bed still soaking wet.

The girls are in the way. I can't feel him on top of me and I hate that. He lays me down tenderly before pulling me so that my legs and ass are practically hanging off the bed. I sit up on my elbows as he lines himself up, and the second he enters me, I fall back against the mattress with a pleasure filled sob.

"I love you," Edward grits out, wrapping my legs around his hips so that he can hold onto my ass while he thrusts.

"I love you, too," I pant as my second orgasms washes through me.

I'm so sensitive lately that I've become somewhat of an orgasm whore. Edward loves it and I'm not complaining.

He moves his hand to massage my clit, but I'm in sensory overload and scream for him not to. Instead he lifts my hips higher and starts thrusting harder, hitting my sweet spot repetitively until I clamp down on him so hard, I force his orgasm on him.

We take a second shower, but I'm completely spent, so it's strictly cleaning purposes. Edward's all smiles as we sit across from each other, eating chocolate chip cookies and milk. Mine's chocolate.

"What?" I ask.

"Nothin'," he smirks, taking another bite out of his cookie. A drop of milk seeps down his chin and down his naked chest.

The kitchen chair is uncomfortable, so he offers to rub my back while we watch a movie. We're naked because those were the rules of Lazy Wednesday. I sit between his legs on the couch and instead of rubbing my back, he plays with my stomach. The girls aren't moving much despite our activities, but every now and then a lazy limb will lash out against his hands.

"Are we ever going to get started on the nursery?" Edward asks when he realizes that we're both not focusing on the movie. He traces a few of the many stretch marks with his finger, tickling my taut skin.

"Yeah. I was thinking we could work on it this weekend," I yawn. "What do you think?"

"Sounds good." He kisses the top of my head. "Wanna go take a nap?"

"Can't we just nap right here? The bedroom is so far away. We have to change the sheets because their wet anyway." Another big yawn slips from my mouth.

"'K," he chuckles, pulling the throw off the back of the couch and covering both of us.

"Are you uncomfortable?" I ask once we've moved down on the sectional so that I'm on the inside and he's on the outside. We're packed like sardines, but not uncomfortably so.

"Nope. This is perfect." He kisses my lips before saying, "Go to sleep."

"Can we order pizza later?" I ask sleepily.

"Sure," he chuckles.

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	38. Chapter 38

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**Hiyah! Here we go guys! There aren't many chapters left but imma make em count I promise.**

**If your interested I squeezed Dirty Cheeky Monkeys lemon. You can check it out... If you want the link won't paste on here so just check out their profile. I am #93 **

**Enjoy,**

**Chapter Thirty Eight**

"Darlin', I'm sure they'll understand if you need to cancel," Edward sighs as I step into a pair of black yoga pants.

"I'm going," I huff. "It's Halloween, babe. How can I not go?"

"Because you're due any day maybe." He grabs my shirt before I can. "I just want you to relax at my parents house. I'll go with the group and bring you back all the candy."

"There's no fun in that, Edward!" I laugh, snatching the black shirt from him and throwing it over my head. "We're staying in the neighborhood. If I feel off, I'll have Rose or Alice run back and get the car. Now help me get situated please."

Edward sighs deeply and steps forward to help me tuck the shirt in so that my giant belly sticks out of the hole that Alice has created. He then helps me step into a pair of comfy walking shoes before grabbing my tail.

"You want me to pin it on now? Or when we get there?"

"When we get there." I kiss his lips. "Trust me, babe. It's cool."

"If you say so. Mouse is waiting for you in the kitchen. I'll be out in a few."

He watches me waddle out of the room. I'm full on waddling like a duck because it feels like one of the babies is going to fall out at any second. We had a checkup yesterday and Ben said that it was happening soon, but I would be okay trick or treating.

I don't want to miss Charlotte's first Halloween, nor do I want to pass up the chance at free candy. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays.

"There you are." Alice laughs at my waddle. "What took you so long?"

"Your brother's trying to talk me out of going tonight." I climb onto a bar stool. "You look cute. Edward's going to have a fit when he sees you in that."

She's wearing a brown leotard, giant mouse ears and her face is painted up to make her look even more animal like. Living up to her nickname.

"Really?" she giggles. "I thought it was clever."

"You're adorable, Alice."

"You're going to look fantastic when I'm done with you." She reaches for the makeup that lines the counter.

I watch as she smothers my entire stomach with blue costume paint. I'm going as a cat and the girls are going as a fishbowl because I couldn't come up with a more clever costume and who goes as a pregnant nun these days? Alice draws a small fish with wide frightened eyes swimming in the middle of the bowl and then adds waves of different blues to make the water look realistic.

"So what did Ben say yesterday?"

"One of them dropped definitely." I squirm on the stool. "He said that it could happen any day now, but I have faith that they will hold off until tomorrow at least."

"Hmm." She paints whiskers on my face and adheres fake eyelashes. "Are you keeping your hair up?"

"Yeah."

She pins the flyaways down and attaches my cat ear headband to my hair with a few more bobby pins. "You look so freaking adorable, Bells."

"Really?" I slide off of the stool and go to the bathroom to check myself out.

She's right. The costume is going to be a hit.

"Wow!" Edward says as he walks into the bathroom.

He's decided to go as the cliché cowboy, even though he dresses like one on a daily basis. Some people just don't understand the meaning of Halloween. This will be the eighth year that he's gone as a cowboy that I know of.

"You like?" I turn and show off my giant belly.

"I do. You're definitely going to win first place in the costume contest." He reaches out to touch my stomach, but holds back and ask, "Is the paint dry?"

I nod and he leans down to speak to the babies. "Alright girls. I want you to be good and stay inside for at least another day because your mother is crazy for Halloween and she'll probably be upset if you decide to interrupt her trick or treating. 'K?"

A swift kick to my stomach, followed by a nudge against my bladder has me shooing him out the door so that I can go to the bathroom.

I make Edward take Alice and I for a Taco Bell run on the way to his parents and we eat burritos with lots of mild sauce during the drive. Esme isn't outside to yank me out of the truck this time and I'm grateful because Edward has to practically lift me out of the seat. He gives me another worried glance, but doesn't say anything.

"Turn around so I can put your tail on you," he smirks.

He attaches it to my pants and smacks my ass. "You're ready."

"Auntie Bel-lah!" Peter screams, running at me in a bear costume topped with a tiny little hat. His damn speech therapist has started training him on properly pronouncing his L's, much to my chagrin.

"Hey there, Mr. Bear!" I hug him as best as I can without bending over. Thankfully he's growing like a dang weed and comes up to my belly.

"Rawr!" he giggles. "You lookin' so purty."

"Thank you."

"Not even fat at all." He pokes the fish painted on my stomach. "Daddy told me not to call you fat."

"Thank you very much," I chuckle. "How much candy have you had so far?"

"Momma gave me five pieces and then Nana Esme gave me five more," he snickers. "There's a big bowl by the door. You want some?"

"That's for the trick or treaters, buddy." I grab his hand and lead him into the house. "Where's momma and daddy?"

"In the kitchen." He pulls my hand excitedly towards the kitchen.

"It's so itchy," my brother groans, scratching at his bear costume. His is affixed with a tie around his neck and a pair of round reading glasses.

"It was your idea, Em, I don't want to hear it!" Rose snaps. The hood of her costume is down while she spoons food into Charlotte's impatient mouth.

"Goldilocks and the three bears?" I ask with a snort.

"WOW!" Emmett gasps taking in my giant stomach. "You're ready to pop ain't ya?"

"That's what I told her," Edward grumbles as he takes a seat next to Rose and takes the food from her so that he can feed Charlotte.

"I don't think this was such a great idea, Es," my mom laughs as they enter the kitchen dressed as conjoined twins. Both look to have had a little too much to drink already.

"It's only half-past twelve, but I don't care," Alice giggles as they trip over one another.

Without skipping a beat both of the women turn to each other and start belting out, "IT'S FIVE O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE!" Except my mother starts singing something about a Margaritaville and loses Esme shortly after.

Guests start pouring into the house, so I spend most of my time socializing with a few people I haven't seen in a while. I say hi to Lauren and Tyler and take a peek at the little boy they've been hiding from everyone for the past couple of months. Riley is a looker, just like his father, and he knows it already, sending flirty smiles towards me while I fawn over him.

Jess and Sam show up with their boys in tow, looking a little worse for wear. "They had to come as zombies," she explains. "But not just any zombie. No they wanted to be gory zombies and apparently I'm not Alice and I can't do makeup like their mom."

"Jess-"

"Sorry. I'm fine. Just a little stressed," she chuckles. "Point me towards the open bar and I'll be out of the way." I point towards the kitchen and she stalks off.

I'm sitting with Maggie and Liam, who decided to come as Raggedy Ann and Andy, when Peter runs up to me.

"Time for treats! AND TRICKS!" he screams. "You gonna come?"

"It's 'Are you going to come?' Peter," Rose corrects him before turning to me. "You up for some trick or treating."

"Of course. Peter will you go ask Edward for my pillowcase."

"Why are you tired?" he asks.

"No buddy, it's for me to put candy in when people give it to me," I snort.

"Oh. Okay. Be right back." He runs off in the opposite direction.

"Are you sure, Bella?" Rose helps me stand and notices that I'm not exactly standing upright.

"Positive," I beam, but my smile falls short when I see Edward coming back with Peter, a frown set upon his face. Before they can make it to me, I turn the other way to try to get out of the house when I hear a weird popping sound and feel a small gush of liquid fill my pants, causing me to freeze up.

"Oh shit, Bella!" Rose snorts. "Did you pee yourself again?"

"No!"

Then she realizes that something else caused me to wet my pants.

"Darlin', please don't go," Edward pleads, finally making it to us. "You're uncomfortable. I can see that you are."

"Edward..."

"You need to relax and walking around the neighborhood isn't relaxing." He grabs my hand, but I stop him.

"Edward..." I say again.

"Please stay. I'll go buy you a wheelbarrow of can-"

"EDWARD!"

"What?" he asks.

"You're right I can't go trick or treating. But I can't stay at the party either."

"What? Why?"

"Because her water just broke," Rose giggles excitedly.

I watch as panic takes over Edward's features and I give him a shy and timid smile. "It's time, babe," I whisper before the first contraction hits me unexpectedly and I cry out before I can catch myself.

**:) told you guys the girls would be here soon :)**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	39. Chapter 39

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**ENJOY**

**Chapter Thirty Nine**

"Hmmmmmmmm." Breath. "Hmmmmmmm." Gasp. "Hmmmmmmm." Pant.

"Bella, darlin', you sound like an engine over there," Edward chuckles.

I don't even bother snapping at him because I'm conserving my energy. Instead I merely raise my right hand and shoot him the bird because he put me in this mess.

Yes, I'm at that stage in labor. Fourteen hours in and I'm ready to go back in time and chop Edward's powerful family jewels off with rusty gardening sheers.

My mother's giggle is cut off by a drunken hiccup that prompts Esme to have her own giggle fit and that shit is pissing me off. Fourteen hours after my water broke and these bitches are still drunk and refuse to leave my room.

"They aren't staying for the delivery," I pant through a contraction while Edward holds my hand because that's one of the only thing he's good for today: handing me ice chips and holding my hand.

"You sure, darlin'?" he asks.

"I'm freaking positive! Why would I want them in here? So they can giggle or possibly vomit all over the place? Get them out, Edward!" I howl.

It feels like I'm splitting into two, starting at my vagina. Yet everyone keeps talking in condescending tones and that's also pissing me off.

"Go get, Ben," I grunt. "I need to push." Edward opens his mouth to speak and I squeeze his hand impossibly tight, making him wince. "If you ask me if I'm sure _one more time,_ I swear to God I'm going to _cut you._ Get them out of here and go get the _fucking_ doctor, Edward."

"Okay, darlin'." He leans over and wipes my sweaty forehead before planting a tender kiss. "You gotta let go of my hand if you expect me to be able to do anything though."

"Oh, shut up." I push his hand away and shoot him another bird. Another contraction and I'm sobbing against the pillows while he ushers Tweedledee and Tweedledum out of the room.

I hate hospitals.

I hate pain.

I hate my drunken mother and my equally drunk mother-in-law because they are drunk and I really needed them today.

I hate Edward because as nice and supportive as he's trying to be, he's only managing to piss me off and annoy the ever living fuck out of me.

I hate the stupid machine that monitors my heart rate because every time someone pisses me off, which is often, it goes haywire.

But I love and focus on the smaller monitor that's attached to the two bands around my stomach. The fetal heart monitors. When I'm not going through a contraction, I focus on the strong heartbeats of my baby girls and can't wait for the two of them to get here already. They are taking their sweet time though.

I place my hand on my stomach and use the few moments of solitude. I don't speak. I just breath and listen to the thudumps of my babies' hearts. The door slides open, but I ignore it and remain focused on the shallow sounds coming from the monitors and continue breathing. In and out, in and out, just like the fat lady at the clinic taught us in the birthing classes we've been taking.

Did she have kids? No.

Had she ever experienced this excruciating pain shooting from her baby maker? Hell no!

I can smell Edward as he sits down next to my bed. He doesn't grab my hand and that's good because I'm meditating. In and out. He knows.

Another contraction sweeps through me but I refuse to let anything but a whimper leave my mouth.

Is this how Katie Holmes did it when she was giving birth? Because if ten minutes ago, when I was screaming in pain as a contraction ripped through my uterus, Edward had come at me with a custom made pacifier to shut me up, it would be permanently lodged in his ass. Right now I'm not so sure because this meditation thing is working.

"Edward," I breath calmly.

"Yeah, darlin'?" he asks in a soft voice, still not touching me.

"Can you get my iPod?" I don't open my eyes. "And put it on my birthing playlist."

"Of course, darlin'." He leaves my side, but returns almost immediately and sets one of the ear buds in my ear before hitting play.

I work my way through a few more contractions. The familiar chords of what is now my favorite song comes on and I ask him to press repeat so that I can listen to it over and over again. The song we danced to for the first time at the Christmas Carnival. The same song that we danced to as man and wife.

A timid knock on the door brings me out of my meditation.

"Come in," I call after clearing my throat.

"Hey," Alice says shyly as she slips inside and closes the door. "I brought some makeup remover."

"What for?"

"Do you want your first pictures with the girls to be of you made up like a feline?" she giggles, pulling out a bottle of liquid and a bag of cotton balls. "Close your eyes."

Was Halloween really only yesterday? I feel like I've been going through this pain for days.

The cleaner smells like coconut. It's welcomed after smelling ammonia for hours. Alice works soothing circles across my face, removing all of the traces of my cat costume, stopping so that I can grit through a fierce contraction every so often.

"What about your belly?" she asks.

"The nurses scrubbed me raw with a hospital issued rag," I mutter. "Thanks Mouse."

"You're welcome." She leans down and kisses my cheek.

I watch her gather her cleaning supplies and garbage up, and move towards the door. "Hey Alice?" I call before she can leave.

"Yeah?"

"Will you stay with us? Renee and Esme were supposed to, but they can't sober up. Will you be here?"

"Are-"

"Don't ask her if she's sure if you value your life," Edward groans.

"I'm positive, Alice." I hold out my hand. "I'd ask Rose, but I don't think she'd be comfortable."

"Of course. Let me go out and tell Jasper." She dances out of the room.

"You didn't have to do that, you know," Edward says, resting his chin on the edge of my bed. "You just made her day, but you didn't have to."

I shrug. "I'm gonna need support. Ali's always been there for me."

"I love you," he mumbles, grabbing my hand in his.

"I love you, too." I squeeze him. "I hope you didn't take anything that I've said in the past ten hours to heart. Because I'm not myself."

"I didn't, darlin'," he smirks.

Alice comes back followed by Ben and checks my progress. His smile is wide and a little creepy when he looks up from between my legs. "You're ready."

_But am I really?_

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	40. Chapter 40

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**Chapter Forty**

By ready, Ben meant ready to push for an hour and a half nonstop before anything exciting happens.

I'm a sweaty, sobbing mess and I've already kicked Alice in the face because she and Edward are holding my legs and she wasn't anticipating my flying limb. Edward's being sweet and oh so supportive, trying to get me to breathe, but I'm ready to give up. Why can't this be like those bullshit movies when a woman pushes, cries out in pain, pushes again and the baby plops out?

No. Of course not.

Instead, one of my daughters is trying to play peek-a-boo with Ben and if I can't manage to get her out in the next couple of pushes, he's threatened to bring out the suction to get her out. In other words, my baby is going to have a cone head. I don't fucking think so!

I grab on to Edward's hand and push so hard that I'm practically sitting up with the aid of the nurse that's trying to dry my head off with a cool towel.

I don't want the first words the girls hear to be a curse word, but I'm dying to scream out any foul word I've ever heard in my entire life.

"Alright Bella, take a rest," Ben instructs. I flop back onto the bed.

"You're doing so good, darlin'," Edward insists.

"You sure are, Bells," Alice agrees.

"Then why aren't they here?" I sob, swatting the nurse away because she's aggravating me. Ben moves across the room and pulls a tool out that looks terrifying.

"If you put that anywhere near my vagina, I'm going to murder you!" I snap.

"It's just a precaution, Bella," he insists, setting it on the tray next to Alice. "Ready for more."

"Sure, why not," I mutter sarcastically.

"Here it comes. Big push," he instructs.

"No shit, Sherlock! Every push has been a big pu- AHHH!" I scream and feel the definite sensation of being torn in two between my legs.

"We've got a head," he informs us as if I didn't just feel that. "Let me turn her and we'll be ready."

My next urge to push is surprising and Ben tells me to go for it. I hear a splash of something and a small whimper before a piercing cry breaks through the room.

"It's a girl!" Ben cheers.

I'm enamored by her tiny body. To think that she was just inside me, growing for nine months, and now she's here. Ben makes quick work of cleaning her up, having daddy cut the cord and passing her off to the nurse that bundles her up and brings her up to me.

I'm barely able to look at Regan's angry pink face for more than a minute or two before Ben informs me that Megan's ready to join us. Edward's sobbing and Alice is looking a little green around the gills as the second nurse takes Regan and I prepare to push.

Megan is born six minutes after her sister and has a set of lungs on her just like Regan.

My legs are released and Alice runs over to the babies while Edward comes to me and kisses me passionately pulling away quickly. "You did it, darlin'." He kisses me again. Our tears blend with one another's. "Oh God, I love you!"

"I love you, too!" I sob. "Go check on them."

Ben instructs me through delivering the placenta and the nurse moves in to clean me up before the babies are brought over. Edward's carrying the both of them, tears pouring down his beautiful face as he takes in their swaddled bodies. He hands me Megan first and then Regan. While being first born, Regan's just a little bit tinier and her cries are more dramatic, whereas it's obvious Megan dominated the womb.

Alice starts snapping picture after picture before the nurses take the twins down the hall for checkups and I'm moved out of the birthing suite and into a room.

"Perfect," Edward mumbles against my lips, unable to go more than a few minutes without kissing me. "So perfect."

"You're right," Ben smiles as he pushes the twins back into the room in plastic bins. "But we already knew that. Miss Regan was born at 10:07 AM, November 1st, at five pounds two ounces. Miss Megan, born at 10:13 AM, November 1st, at five pounds nine ounces."

"I'm going to go out and let everyone know," Alice says, standing up from her chair. "Give you guys some privacy."

"We'll be ready for visitors in a little while," I tell her as she shuts the door.

"Thank you, Ben," I whisper as he hands me Regan. Edward's already gotten Megan. "You're the best."

"So I've been told," he smiles. "They're beautiful, you two. Really beautiful."

"Thanks," Edward and I say simultaneously.

"Treasure it, man," Ben says seriously, his hand clasped tightly on Edward's shoulder. "Trust someone who's effed it up big time. You don't know what you got till it's gone."

"I will," Edward swallows thickly.

"Buzz the nurses' station if you guys need anything. Take advantage of the free help because you'll be going home in less than two days." He winks before stepping out of the room.

A nurse comes in to help me breast feed and it's pretty obvious that Megan's going to be a handful. After twenty minutes of failed attempts at getting her to latch on, the nurse offers the formula option which she takes greedily. Edward's happy when the nurse hands the baby to him and instructs him on the proper feeding method before we try with Regan.

"Identical children, yet completely different personalities," she says as Regan latches onto my nipple immediately. "Just buzz when you're ready for visitors. You got quite the welcoming committee waiting in the room down the hall."

I nod tiredly and turn back to my task.

Twenty minutes later, we decide to buzz the nurses' station and allow our family to visit. They pile in and I'm brought to tears when I realize that both Rose and Emmett are here, despite this being a sore time for them. Emmett practically attacks Edward for a chance to hold his niece. And Rose comes to my side to check on me.

"Oh Sweets!" she cries. "She's beautiful. They both are."

"Thanks Rose," I sniff.

"So who am I holding?" Emmett asks.

"Megan Rae Cullen," Edward chokes out proudly.

"And this is Regan Mae Cullen." I hold up Regan.

"That's adorable!" Rose coos.

"Where's my mom?" I ask.

"And mine?" Edward adds.

"Passed out in the car," Carlisle chuckles as he walks over to me. "May I?"

"Of course, Grandpa," I smile, handing him the baby.

"I like the sound of that," he says, taking in the sight of Regan's sleeping face.

And I'll be damned if a small tear falls out of the corner of his eye.

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	41. Chapter 41

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**Enjoy :D**

**Chapter Forty One**

"Babies are crying," I mumble into my pillow.

He doesn't even move.

"Edward, the babies are crying," I swat him.

Nothing.

"Fucking jerk!" I snap, jumping out of bed and rushing down the hall to the nursery. "It's alright, mommy's babies."

Regan is screaming her head off and flailing her arms and legs around like a natural born drama queen, while Megan decides that screaming her head off won't get her what she wants. On autopilot, I pull Regan's squirming body out of her crib and head for the kitchen because she'll only upset her sister further if I leave the both of them in the nursery. I pre-made bottles for Megan earlier before bed so I pop one in the microwave for a couple of seconds and unlatch a cup on my nursing bra. Regan's latches on almost immediately as the microwave dings.

I manage to test the temperature on my wrist and recap it before walking back to the nursery. I set the bottle beside the rocking chair and scoop up Megan before sitting down. I expertly grab the bottle and manage to keep her upright, feeding both of my babies at the same time.

"Well girls, we're getting pretty synchronized with our schedules," I murmur while they feed. "If only you could just sleep through at least half the night. That would make mommy happy."

Three weeks old and my girls are natural born night owls. The second the sun comes up, they drop into a coma-like state and the second it goes down, they think it's play time. Edward's been back at work for almost two weeks, so I'm stuck at home, mostly alone, with the kids and I'm tired. He doesn't seem to want to wake up in the middle of the night when they cry or need something.

Also my hormones are out of whack and I cry a lot.

I manage to get both of them back to sleep and step out of the nursery. I clean out Megan's bottle and cry into my gloved hands in front of the kitchen sink because I'm frustrated. I'm able to get a hold of my bearings and wipe the counter before heading back to the bedroom.

He's still in the same position that he was in when I left. I sniffle into my pillow until I fall asleep and wake up to cooing and his voice.

"Who's daddy's pretty babies?" he asks in a childish voice. "You are. You are. Yes."

I walk down the hall and find the door to the nursery open. Edward's got both babies on the floor and hovering over them and kissing their faces, their fingers and toes.

"That's the only reason why you keep me around, isn't it?" I cry.

"What?" he leans back on his heels. "What are you talking about, darlin'?"

"You just keep me around to give you babies and do the hard work at night!" I yell. "You love them more than me!"

"Bells," Edward says calmly standing up and walking towards me cautiously.

"I'm tired, Edward. I'm up every night with them and then when they sleep during the day, I'm tackling the giant pile of laundry or the sink full of dishes that accumulates and multiplies when no one's looking," I sob. "You don't get up and help when they need something, but you're there when they're being cute and not satanic spawn."

I clasp my hand over my mouth in surprise.

"You done?" he asks.

I shake my head. "You're a fucking jerk. There... I'm done."

"I'm sorry I don't get up and help at night, darlin'," he sighs. "I figured since you had the source that it would be best if you just got up to feed Regan. She always wakes up to be fed."

"It's called frozen milk, Edward," I sniff. "You pop it in the microwave just like Megan's bottles. I've been pumping every day so that I can have a break and y-you never offer me one. The only breaks I get are when Alice or one of our mothers stops by and then it's just to shower. I'm emotional and I'm still recovering and I'm tired. I'm so tired."

By the end of my rant I'm swept up into his arms and he's rocking me back and forth in an effort to calm me down. He offers to take the girls to his parents' house for the day so that I can catch up on some much needed sleep and I become hysterical. In the end, Esme and my mother show up to take the girls for the day. Edward drags my flabby, unsexy ass into the shower with him and lets me cry it out under the water. We lay in bed together and he tries to apologize again and again for not helping out as much as I needed him to. I apologize for snapping at him and not talking to him before I blew up.

He lets me sleep for a few hours and wakes me up with lunch in bed. It's nothing fancy; just a Hot Pocket and some grapes, but going by Edward's past kitchen experiences, that's considered gourmet.

I give him a blow job as thanks, seeing as my baby maker is out of order for a couple more weeks.

"I'm gonna go get the girls," he whispers against my hair a couple of hours later. "I'm pretty sure they're missing us."

"I miss them, too." I sink lower into the tub. "You want me to go with you?"

"No darlin'. You sit here and relax. I'm gonna go get the girls and pick up some dinner for the two of us." He tosses the washcloth he was using to wash my back into the water. "Love you."

"I love you, too."

I decide to make the most of my short free time and go to the nursery to gather up laundry. I stop short when I find all of the clothes that had filled the hamper neatly folded on top of the bureau. I go to the kitchen knowing that I left a few bottles in the sink, but everything is sparkly clean. The living room is vacuumed and the all of our laundry is folded up on the back of the couch.

I put away mine and Edward's clothes and then the girls' with tears in my eyes. I bake a batch of cookies for him and am putting them on a cooling rack when I hear the door open.

"Darlin'? Can I get a little help?" he calls from the door.

I rush to help him and find him trying to juggle two carriers and a bag of take out. I take one of the covered car seats from him and he manages to make it to the kitchen without dropping anything.

"You baked cookies?" he asks.

"You cleaned the entire house?"

"Yeah. I felt bad for not helping out. I talked to Maggie, too. There's no reason for me to go out there and help them with the deliveries and stuff 'cause I'm just the vet. I'll go out there every other day to check on everything and she insists that you come, too, so that she can see the girls." He leans down and kisses me.

"Edward, I didn't want you to have to cut back your time at the stables," I sigh, rubbing a spot on my forehead where I feel a headache coming in. "I just wanted a little bit of help around the house."

"I know that, darlin'. You're not making me do anything. I love you and I love the girls, so I'd like to be here for all three of you more often."

"Alright," I sigh, turning away from him.

"What is it?"

"Nothing, I just don't want you to resent me for asking you to stay home more often."

"You're being ridiculous," he chuckles. "Sit down and I'll get us some plates made up. The girls already had a bottle before I picked them up and it wouldn't hurt to leave them in their seats while we eat." He hands me a plate with enchiladas and rice and beans. "There's some chips and salsa in the bag."

The rest of our night is spent munching on left over Mexican and cookies while we spend all of our time with the girls. We manage to keep them up for the better part of the day, so they go down around midnight and for the first time in three weeks I'm able to sleep for five hours straight. It's not the eight I sort of require, but we're working on it.

Megan's cry wakes me up, but Edward bolting out of bed and out the door jolts me awake.

"I got it, darlin'. Go back to sleep," he says into the baby monitor. "That's right, baby girl. Daddy's gotcha. Shhh, don't wake up your sister."

As if on cue Regan starts screaming and I listen for a few minutes as Edward tries to play super dad. Finally taking pity once I hear that Regan's got a dirty diaper, I rush down the hall and find him trying to balance Megan on his shoulder while he changes the squirming dramatic baby on the table. Laughing, I swat his hand away.

"There's nothing wrong with needing a little help, babe."

"Keep that in mind, darlin'."

And I will.

**Coming to an end folks... Then I have a lovely drabble for you :D**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	42. Chapter 42

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**2 chapters left plus an epilogue :D **

**ENJOY!**

**Chapter Forty Two**

The doorbell ringing wakes both of us up. I look over at the clock and realize that it's seven thirty in the morning.

We've been blessed with an entire week of uninterrupted sleep until now. Edward jumps up to get the door and I put on a robe and rush to the nursery in hopes that the girls will stay asleep for at least another hour or two. Getting them on a schedule was easier than we thought it would be and despite my melt down last week, we're doing good.

Megan is starting to squirm and her face is puckering up, so I shove a pacifier in her mouth before she can wake up her sister. She calms down until she realizes that nothing's coming out of the nipple and spits it out with a small popping noise. I grab her and practically run from the room and straight to the kitchen.

"She is up. Can I talk to her?" Jessica asks, stepping around Edward and following me into the kitchen.

"What the hell, Jess? It's not even eight o'clock and we have infants," I snap as I ready a bottle for Megan.

"It couldn't wait. It's of the utmost importance that I speak with my maid of honor," she stresses, holding her arms out for the baby. "I'll feed her."

I step back, shielding my baby from the woman who once joked she ate fetuses when she was on her period. Jessica rolls her eyes and steps forward, taking Megan from my shocked arms and sitting on a bar stool. She pops the bottle into her mouth and bounces her a little. Like a freaking pro.

"I'm gonna check on Regan and go back to bed, darlin'. Jess it was nice to see you. Feel free to stop by in the afternoons from now on."

"What's going on, Jess?" I ask, sitting across from her.

"I think I might be pregnant." She looks down at Megan. "I mean the doctors told me it wasn't possible and then Sam said he was cool with his boys, but now... yeah. I'm pretty sure I'm pregnant. Of all the people to bless with a miracle baby, why me?"

"Have you told Sam?"

"Pfft, no," she snorts. "'Hey Sam, remember when I told you I had a reverse uterus and that it was impossible for me to have a kid? Well, looks like we're following in Bella and Edward's footsteps 'cause we're gonna have us a shotgun wedding. How's that sound?'"

"Have you been to the doctor?"

"Yeah, I lied. I'm definitely pregnant." She stands up and starts pacing with my daughter in her arms. "I'm in denial."

"How far along?" I stand up and take Megan away from her so that I can burp her.

"Like two months. How the fuck did I miss that?" She pulls out a small calendar. "Because I spilled coffee on this stupid thing and it smeared everything, that's how."

"Have you thought about what you're going to do?"

"No. I mean it's a baby, Bella. I hate kids and I've never wanted them EVER," she stresses. "But then I wake up in the mornings that we have the boys and I just I love them so much and it makes me wonder if I can do it. With Sam's help, of course."

"Of course."

"But then I think back to when Sam and I were dating and he told me that he thought it was great that I couldn't have kids because he was done." She bursts into tears. "And what type of person would it make me if I killed my miracle baby? A bad fucking person, Bella."

"I think you need to talk to Sam, Jessica. You can't know if you don't tell him and give him a chance to react." I place Megan on my shoulder. "Think about it. If you went home and told Sam right now, say he told you he didn't want another kid. What would you do?"

"I'd leave and raise the baby on my own," she sniffs. "I have my apartment still and my job is nice, so I could afford to take care of me and a kid."

"Then there's your answer. Go home and tell him."

"Can I stay and hang out with you and the girls for a little while?" she asks nervously.

I nod reluctantly and end up seeing Edward off to work a couple hours later with Jessica by my side. I tell him that he can stay and hang out with the guys if he wants because I know he doesn't particularly care for Jessica and he looks grateful. Then he tells me to text him when she leaves and I know he'll be waiting for that.

"How many diapers do you go through?" she asks as I change Regan's diaper for the third time since she's been awake.

"Well, they weren't lying when they said I'd go through my baby shower stock in the first week, let's put it that way," I laugh. "Gotta love Costco."

She continues asking a bunch of questions throughout the entire day and I manage to get her to go home so that I can cook dinner for my husband. She leaves reluctantly and I tell her to call Alice if she needs someone to talk to until morning because Alice doesn't have two babies that wake up if someone coughs loudly. I put the casserole in the oven, give the girls a bath and then send Edward a text, letting him know the coast is clear.

The girls are asleep and in bed.

We've started keeping them up during the day so that they go down early and stay asleep for the night, and so far it's worked.

I'm showered and laying on the bed, wearing nothing but a towel. Dinner won't be ready for another hour and half and I know how I want to spend the wait. I've been given the all clear and it's been so long since we did anything more than heavy petting. My stomach is still fluffy and losing the baby weight is harder than I expected, but I still see Edward's reaction to seeing me naked. I know he still wants me.

And tonight... he'll have me.

**Here's a sneak peek to the drabble I'll be posting within the week :D **

**Simply Meant To Be:**

You don't think I see the way you look at me, but I do.

There's loyalty and admiration shining in your eyes every time we're together and I know I'm the reason why.

The feelings are mutual. I could easily admit it to you.

'Edward, I'm in love with you.'

Easy as pie.

But for some reason I wait.

It's been years since you started looking at me like you are now, but there is a hesitance in your voice when you talk to me.

'There's nothing to be afraid of, Edward, because I feel the same.'

I silently wait.

**When would you like to see SMTB posted?**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	43. Chapter 43

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**Drabble will be posted shortly. Thank you so fuckin' much Liz.. I couldn't have done it without you :D**

**Chapter Forty Three**

"Bells?" Edward calls a few minutes after he arrives home. His voice is low because he knows the girls are asleep.

Good boy.

He's taken off his boots and I can hear his socked feet shuffling across the floor as he walks towards the bedroom. He stops at the nursery and checks on the girls like a good daddy before tip toeing to our room. He probably thinks I'm asleep. Far from it, babe.

I have plans for the both of us that don't include sleeping.

The door opens with a small creak and he takes in the sight of me laying on the bed in nothing but a towel. I've finally been able to tackle my legs with a razor and no longer resemble Chewbacca below the waist. I've slathered myself up with lotion that smells like cherry blossoms instead of the usual baby powder, lotion or vomit. My hair is still damp because for some reason he likes it that way.

"Hey," he greets, swallowing hard as he leans against the doorframe.

"Hey there." I grab the edge of my towel and watch his eyes widen. I lick my lips.

"Whatcha doin'?"

"Hopefully you in a second," I explain in a seductive tone as I open my towel.

He's across the room in a flash and I'm pressed into the mattress by his weight. His tongue forces its way into my mouth and we kiss, reveling in the fact that he's on top of me and we don't have to worry about squishing the babies. I can feel him growing hard against my heat and I buck into him.

He pulls away and stares down at my trimmed lower lips with a hungry gaze.

"You're good?" he asks huskily.

"Perfect." I spread my legs wide as invitation.

Nightly blow jobs since I gave birth have racked up and he owes me some payback. We both know it and I can't help the shiver of anticipation that rolls through me as he shucks out of his pants and shirt, before settling between my thighs. His breath hits me in quick warm bursts. We both hold our breath as his tongue snakes out and he takes a tentative lick.

He groans before delving in. I buck into his face and let my hands massage my breasts. He sucks my clit into his mouth as he gently eases one finger inside and then another, stretching me out in preparation for him. I grind against his mouth and hand, so he starts moving his tongue, massaging my button in time with the thrust of his fingers. He finds my G-spot and remains there until I'm crying out in pleasure. My first orgasm in over two months is so powerful my neck aches and I think I pulled a muscle in my foot from the toe curling. He lets me ride it out slowly because we want to take our time while still being in a hurry.

It's been too long since we've had this. I want it to last all night, but we both know that can't happen. There are two little girls down the hall that won't care if mom and dad were up all night, reacquainting with their bodies. They'll still demand that their diapers be changed or to be fed in a timely fashion, just like they did every morning.

I reach over and grab a condom off of the nightstand.

I picked them up yesterday after my doctor's appointment because as much as I love the girls, we won't be ready for more for a while. I'm having enough issues with my weight, so rather than adding fuel to the fire with birth control, Edward's going to wrap it until we decide differently. He smirks when he notices what I have in my hand.

He groans as I rip it open with my teeth and I'm afraid he's going to come when I roll it onto his erection. That would damper things and make me a very sad girl tonight. He stops me and grits out that he needs to do it himself. We make out for a couple of minutes so that he can collect himself.

He reaches down and fondles my inner walls with his long calloused fingers. He speaks dirty words in my ear about what he wants to do to me and what he wants me to do to him.

"I can't wait to be inside you, darlin'," he groans. "I'm not going to last long, so I want you to come again."

I grip his shoulders and thrust against his hand as our tongues tangle together. I feel the coil start to tighten. He knows because he removes his hand and thrusts into me quickly. Both of us groan loudly in satisfaction and then freeze for a rather pregnant pause.

We're both honed in on the baby monitor by my head. Both praying that we weren't too loud because that would cease all of the fun we're having. I'm listening for the coos that signal a full out war cry, but I hear nothing, not even a snore.

"Quiet daddy," I whisper with a giggle and jerk my hips.

Edward moans into my neck. "You're making it difficult, darlin'."

"You mean _hard?"_ I decide to throw back some of the dirty talk he seems to like lately. "Do I make you _hard,_ Edward?"

"I dunno, darlin'." He lifts my hips and pulls out before thrusting into me roughly. "You tell me."

"Touché," I moan.

He presses against my clit to ensure that I'll come again while he jackhammers into me like a mad man. I can barely hold onto him before I let out a loud piercing moan as my walls contract around his dick that continues to move inside me.

"Ah, fuck!" I groan as he flips us over without pulling out of me.

"Fuck!" he grunts, raising his hips off the bed to thrust. I swivel my hips and he chokes on his words as he starts to pulse deep inside me. His moan is louder than mine was. I continue to milk him as our lips meet in one final heated kiss for dominance. I let him win, but I'll never admit to it.

And then we hear it.

The small coo coming from the right side of the nursery. Even if the babies were together, I would be able to tell them apart from their cries. Regan is up and she's going to want to be fed.

I climb off of my husband who looks like he's about to pass out, a lazy, satisfied smile gracing his perfect lips. He moves like a drunken man, disposing the condom in a napkin before tossing it into the garbage pail without looking. He's lucky he made it.

"I'll get her," I tell him, even though he hasn't made a move to get up.

A smile that I'm sure will take days to wear off is plastered on my face when I enter the nursery and pull Regan out of her crib. Megan is still asleep, lying flat on her back, her tiny little chest moving up and down and her little limbs moving every so often.

Regan and I sit in the living room while she nurses. It doesn't take long to get her back to sleep because she's used to sleeping the entire night through now. Daddy was just loud and woke her up.

I place her back in her crib and check on Megan one more time before shutting the door and heading back to the bedroom.

"She okay?" Edward asks with one eye open as I slide into bed beside him.

"She's fine. Just a little spooked."

He gathers me up in his arms and I instinctively snuggle into his chest. We fall asleep almost immediately, both satiated. For the night at least

**Well wasn't that nice? Lol.. Like I said Simply Meant to Be.. like here shortly.. just gotta get a few chapters in the doc manager and we'll go from there :D **

**One more chapter and the epilogue to go**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	44. Chapter 44

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**Hi yall! SORRY THIS IS SO LATE. I got a little sidetracked with Simply Meant To Be and my godson's dual birthdays are this weekend so yeah.. This is the last official chapter of Southern Comfort. The epilogue will be posted soon!**

**Chapter Forty Four**

Walnut Street is booming once again.

Has it really only been one year?

Three hundred and sixty five days since I danced with Edward on the makeshift dance floor by the pavilion. In one year we confessed our love, got married and had our babies. They are almost two months old and I want to keep them tiny forever.

Edward's pushing the dual stroller through the crowded street, while people stop to look at the girls and fawn over their similarities. Dark brown hair, even darker brown eyes. My husband jokes that he had nothing to do with their conception, seeing as they take after me in every single way, but he lies. They have his giant like feet and his bowed legs.

He jokes that we should try for a boy since he's the only penis in the house, but it's too soon and we both understand that.

My phone beeps with a text message.

"Mouse wants us to meet her by Maggie's stand," I tell Edward.

He merely nods and begins to push through the crowd a little more aggressively. I speed ahead to make sure the girls are covered up properly because it's chilly, even for the south. They're wearing their outfits that Nana Renee got them for Christmas. Matching red and green plaid dresses with white tights and undershirts and a hat. One green, one red because everyone needs a little something to make them different. Or so my mother says.

Jasper hands me a cup of white hot chocolate and kisses my cheek. Alice is sipping some cider from the stand we saw when we entered Walnut. They announced that they were expecting at Christmas dinner. They're scared and not exactly ready to start a family, but they have an excellent support system.

"How you feeling, Mouse?" Edward asks, wrapping his arm around her.

"Blegh with a side of ugh," she mutters, taking another sip from her cup.

"It'll get better." I offer supportively.

"Says the woman that carried two fetuses at once and only threw up for a couple of weeks," she grumbles. "I can't even be around Jasper when he comes home from work."

"It'll be worth it in the end, Ali," Jasper offers supportively.

He's excited for the baby and he's started taking on more responsibilities at the stable so that Alice won't have to worry about finding a job. Instead she quit working at the dime store and keeps an eye on the girls when I have a meeting. She doesn't charge, but I sneak money into a cookie jar or her wallet when she's not looking, to compensate her for her help.

Regan notices that no one is paying her any attention, so she starts to cry. I snort when Megan makes a gesture that almost looks like she is rolling her eyes.

We move over to the dance floor because they have space heaters set up around the sitting area. Jasper and Edward round up chairs for everyone and I pull out our little drama queen. She takes in the twinkling lights that surround us with wide curious eyes and then sees her daddy. Out pops the bottom lip and the whimpering starts.

Little brat has her daddy wrapped around her tiny little finger.

"You want me to take her, darlin'?" Edward smirks, holding his hands out.

I roll my eyes when Regan settles into his arms immediately. Megan sneezes, so I decide to take her out of the stroller as well. She nestles against my chest and stares at the giant Christmas tree in the middle of the dance floor.

Jasper sweeps Alice away, despite her reluctance and we watch them dance across the floor amongst most of the townspeople and all of the tourists. Megan falls asleep on my shoulder, but Regan stays awake and plays with her daddy's fingers.

"Oh my grandbabies! Give me, give me!" Esme squeals the second she sees us. Carlisle follows her as she practically sprints towards us. Regan is ripped out of Edward's hands with a giggle while Carlisle patiently lifts Megan off my shoulder.

"Edward, take your wife dancin'," Esme demands with a snap of her fingers.

"It's fine," I say.

"No, come on, darlin'. Free babysitting. We can't pass that up," Edward smirks, pulling me to my feet. He leads me around the dance floor as our song comes on. I look up and find Jasper's sister, who's no longer in the high school chorus because she graduated last May, smiling at me. He leans down and whispers in my ear.

"I called in a favor. Merry Christmas, darlin'."

I wrap my arms tighter around his neck as we sway back and forth. Our hearts are beating as one. My head rests on his shoulder and his tighten around my waist.

_I could make you happy, make your dreams come true._

_Nothing that I wouldn't do._

_Go to the ends of the Earth for you,_

_To make you feel my love_

I pull away and stare into his eyes. The same emotion is swimming in his eyes. Just like last year. But this time I recognize it because I've seen it every single day for the past year. Love and devotion.

"Edward?"

"Yeah?"

"I-"

"Hello lovebirds."

"I can't freaking believe it," I mutter as Jessica pulls me into a hug despite the fact that I'm still sort of tangled with my husband.

"What?" she questions.

"Nothing. Your timing is the same as last year." I hug her back.

"I just wanted to say hello. Sam and the boys are waiting for me over by the games." She kisses my cheek and points up to the mistletoe. "I couldn't miss the chance."

"Bye Jessica," I laugh.

She scampers away in an impossible pair of heels and Edward pulls me back into his arms.

"As you were saying?"

"Last year we were standing on this floor and I wanted so badly to tell you that I loved you," I explain, cupping his cheek. "And I was trying to be romantic, but Jessica interrupted me. Again. Just like last year."

"Tell me now," he chuckles, kissing my frozen nose.

"I love you," I breathe.

He pulls away and looks around. "Hmm, no Jessica."

I punch him in the shoulder.

"I love you, too, darlin'. And we'll have plenty more Christmas carnivals to dance at. I'm not sure I'll be able to talk Jasper's little sister into singing for us every year, but we've both got an iPod. We can improvise."

"Promise?"

He nods and leans down to capture my lips.

"Hey you guys, the twins are getting cold. Mom wanted me to tell you that it's time to go."

Alice giggles when Edward and I both pull away and scowl at her. "What? Your children are possibly facing hypothermia as we speak. You can make out in the privacy of your own home. Geez."

"Shut it, Mouse," Edward says.

We all head for the City Diner for dinner because the seafood place we ate at last year is closed due to a family death that occurred a few weeks ago. The girls fall asleep almost as soon as we're in the warmth of the restaurant, so we're able to eat our meals without any disturbances.

"Plans for New Years?" Carlisle asks quietly from my left.

"Um, probably something low key at the house with the girls," I shrug. "Are you still taking Esme to New York?"

"I want to, but I'm afraid she's gonna start bawlin'."

"We both know she's going to!" I laugh.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a fork sneak over to my plate and steal a bite of my biscuits and gravy. His fork is empty by the time I turn towards him, but his mouth is chewing happily.

"Did you just steal my food?"

_"Mo,"_ he mumbles innocently, his mouth full of food.

"You got some gravy on your lip, son," Carlisle chuckles and hands a napkin to the food thief.

"Why don't you just order your own?" I ask, wiping the gravy off of his mouth.

"Because it only tastes good when it's yours," Edward pouts. "Can I have some more?"

"No. You should have asked before you took it." I take a huge bite of my meal.

"I'll share my grapes with you. I know how much you like grapes." Alice chokes on her omelet. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Mouse."

We say goodbye to the family, bundle the girls back up and start walking back to the house. Hopefully they'll sleep for a couple of hours because I want to spend some time with my husband. He carries them into the nursery to put them down while I start a kettle of water and ready two cups of tea. One peppermint, one cinnamon.

"They're down for the count," he chuckles, shuffling into the kitchen.

"We've had a busy year, haven't we?" I question, handing him his cup.

"That we have. Falling in love, a wedding and two babies, all rolled into three hundred and sixty five days," he smiles. "Wouldn't change it for the world, darlin'."

"Me neither, babe."

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	45. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: I don't own these characters, I just dressed them in Ranglers, locked them in a barn and told them to play nice :D**

**PLEASE GO READ THE LAST CHAPTER! I MADE A GOOF AND POSTED A CHAPTER FOR MY DRABBLE INSTEAD AND YEAH... POOP! SO YEAH GO READ FIRST**

**THIS IS IT GUYS**

**thanks so much to each and every one of you. I loved this story just as much as any of my others but it's time to say goodbye and what better day than Bella Swan's birthday *giggle* **

**ENJOY**

**Chapter Forty Five**

**Epilogue**

**Seven years later**

"Daddy, can we please stop at Mc Donald's for a Happy Meal?" Regan cries from the backseat of the SUV. I don't have to turn my head to know her bottom lip is poking out so far she could probably touch her nose with it. "I'm starving to death. I can't wait till we get to Granny's."

I don't correct her.

Esme's threatened to wash the mouth out of the next grandkid to call her by that name. And Jasper will follow them because he was the one that taught them that as a joke when Mitchell learned how to talk.

"Grandma has food waiting for you when we get there."

"B-but I'm going to die!" she cries dramatically. "I can feel my stomach eating itself."

"Nom nom nom."

"Shut up Gracie!"

"You shut up!" My pretty girl cries from the middle seat.

"Stop crying, you baby." Regan kicks her seat.

"I's not a babyyyyyy!" Gracie bawls, pulling at her straps angrily.

"We don't say 'shut up'," Edward scolds. "Regan, you won't die without food. We'll be there in less than an hour."

"Bu-but."

"You's a babyyyy," Gracie giggles, pointing back at Regan.

"She's right, Reg," Megan laughs, popping an ear bud out of her ear with a flourish. My little musician has discovered the joys of electronica music. "Stop whining. You're just making the entire car miserable."

"Yeah!" Gracie adds, holding her hand up for a high five, but is left hanging. She huffs indigently and crosses her arms. "I's mad."

I rub my temples, trying to will away the headache blooming. Edward reaches over and grabs my hand in his.

"They'll calm down once we get there, darlin'."

I snort. He's the genius that decided to give them Pop Tarts for breakfast when I was perfectly capable of cooking them a nutritious meal. It's his fault.

We play the silent game. Whoever can be quiet for the next thirty minutes will receive a special prize. The prize being a stick of sugarless gum because they're already hopped up more than enough of it. I check my bag.

"Momma?" Gracie asks after three minutes just like I predicted.

"Yes baby?"

"I's have some juice?"

"Regan, hand Gracie her cup please," I ask.

Regan sighs dramatically and flops around as she acquires the cup and passes it over the seat.

"Fank you."

Another three minutes pass. "Momma?"

"Yes Gracie Lynn?" I sigh.

"I luz you."

"I love you, too, baby."

"She's only saying that because she wants some gum," Regan snorts.

"Shut up, Regan! You're never going to get gum if you don't shut up," Megan snaps with another flick of her ear bud.

"The next person that says 'shut up' is going straight to the time out chair when we get there. No one is getting gum because I knew none of you could keep your mouths shut and I forgot it at the house." I take a deep breath. "Now please. Let's be quiet and try to make the best of this drive, alright?"

I can practically hear their brains rattling in their skulls, but no one speaks.

"Feel better, darlin'?" Edward asks with a laugh.

"Oh, shut up!" I snap.

"Sorry, darlin'."

I'm graced with ten minutes of silence before I hear sniffling from the middle seat of the car.

"What's wrong, Gracie?"

"I pee peed my pullwup, mommy," she cries.

"Why didn't you ask me to stop, little bit?" Edward asks, pulling over on the side of the highway.

"'Cause momma said no tawking," she sobs, pulling at her car seat straps. "I's sorry."

"It's okay, baby." I remove my seatbelt, but Edward stops me.

"I got it, darlin'," he says.

He waits until the traffic is slow and jumps out of the car rushing around the front. He pulls Gracie out of her car seat and takes her to the back where the diaper bag is kept because she's been doing so good without any accidents. Regan is surprisingly quiet.

"It's okay, Gracie," Megan assures her from over the seat. "Momma has accidents all the time."

"Megan..." Edward warns.

"What? It's true. Just last week she sneezed and peed all over herself and the couch," Megan laughs wickedly.

"Alright. We're going to have to behave before your momma kills all of us," Edward explains as he buckles a now clean Gracie into her seat. I wait for him to get in the car, but he throws open my door instead and pulls me out of the car.

"Edward, I'm not wearing any shoes!" I yelp as my feet hit the cold ground.

He closes my door and pushes me up against it. "Are you going to calm down, darlin'?" he asks.

"Hmph. I'm in control."

He quirks an eyebrow. "Really? Cause snappin' at the little ones isn't very in control." He sucks my ear lobe into his mouth. "It was sexy as hell, but far from in control."

He nestles his leg between mine and presses against my heat. I'm aware of the fact that my swollen feet are probably going to fall off due to the cold and that my children are somewhat witnessing this assault through the dark tinted windows, but I don't really care.

"You're just as insatiable as you were with the girls," he reaches down and caresses my giant stomach.

The babies are going wild.

We went for one more in hopes that we could add some testosterone into the house and wound up with two. Unfortunately for Edward, they aren't identical and while he gets his boy, we're also having another girl.

Damn those Swan genes.

He pulls away. I pout.

"I'll take care of you later, darlin'." He bites my lip and my eyes roll in the back of my head 'cause I'm a hussy.

A passing car honks and the occupant yells out the window, "Get her, boy!" before speeding off. A chuckling Edward helps me get back in the car, even going as far as to put my seatbelt on for me. He also grabs my tit, but no one needs to know that.

"Hey mom?" Megan calls from the back once we're on our road.

"Yeah, Meg?"

"Sorry I laughed at you for peeing your pants."

"I wasn't lying about the gum. I really left it at the house."

"Oh." She falls silent.

"Daddy?" Gracie asks a few minutes later.

"Yes, little bit?"

"I's sweepy."

"Then take a nap," Edward chuckles.

"Will you pat my back?" I turn to catch her rubbing her eyes.

"I'm driving right now, little bit, but as soon as we get to Grandma's I'll put you down for a nap. I promise."

"Okay," she whines. Luckily we're coming up on the turn off to the Cullen house because she's close to a meltdown due to exhaustion.

As soon as we pull into the driveway, all three of them perk up. Esme is outside pruning and bundling up a small tree she planted in the middle of the yard a couple of years ago. The girls were four when Carlisle passed away in his sleep after falling ill a couple of months before. By the time the doctors caught the leukemia, it was too late and he decided to spend the remainder of his life surrounded by his family.

Edward and I decided to stay with them so that the girls could spend time with him. And they did. Even on his bad days they would sit on his bed with him and color him picture after picture while Esme sat downstairs, bawling her eyes out day after day.

The night he passed, she merely walked into the bedroom that Edward and I were using at the time and informed us that we needed to call an ambulance. Carlisle was pronounced dead and I haven't seen Esme shed a tear since.

Before he died, Carlisle was the only one that knew I was pregnant with Gracie Lynn. In fact he's the one that named her. We'd grown inexplicably close to one another over the years and he became the father I never had. I was a wreck when we lost him. I almost lost Gracie and that's how Edward found out I was pregnant because I was trying to surprise him for his birthday that wasn't for a couple more weeks when his dad died.

I wipe away a stray tear.

"You alright, darlin'?" Edward asks as the girls run across the yard to their grandma.

Gracie struggles against her straps, so Edward leans back and unlatches her. My little girl takes after her father's side. Her long wild auburn hair is unmanageable on her good days and her eyes are just like Edward's, complete with the little freckle along the iris. The only thing she took from me is my attitude. The rest is pure Cullen DNA. She's currently going through a princess phase and stumbles across the yard wearing her snow white costume she trick or treated in a couple of months back.

Esme picks her up and hugs her extra tight. There's an indescribable connection between the two of them. Esme was the first one to hold her when she was born and even though she didn't cry, I knew she saw Carlisle in my baby girl.

"I'm fine. Just missin' him, that's all," I sniff.

"I know. Come on. Let's go say hi."

He pulls me out of the Suburban and I waddle over to the tree while Esme fawns over her grandbabies. I hear Regan plead for food and Megan ask for gum while Gracie informs her grandmother of her accident on the way over.

"That's okay, Gracie. Mommy has accidents still," Esme chuckles, kissing her little cherub cheek. Megan turns away so that I can't see her laugh. Oh, but I do because I have 'mom eyes'. I see all. I know all.

We head into the house so that Regan can finally eat, but Edward holds back and stares at the tree that Esme planted for her late husband.

"You okay, babe?" I ask softly, wrapping my arm around his waist.

"Yeah, just lettin' dad know what we decided to name my boy." He rubs my belly.

"Carlisle James Cullen the second." I whisper.

Edward leads me into the house and I go to the bathroom, only to call for him before I make it.

"What's wrong, darlin'?" he looks down to the puddle on the floor under my flowy skirt. "Ah hell, Bells! You couldn't just hold it?"

"No, you idiot!" I huff. "My water just broke!"

Seven hours later Carly Jade Cullen is born, followed by our youngest and only boy, Carlisle James Cullen. They are three weeks early, but perfect, just like the rest of our kids, and for the first time in over three years, I see Esme shed tears over her youngest grandson.

Regan and Megan want to babysit.

Gracie can't wait to play dress up.

We inform all three girls that it will be a while for that and they seem satisfied with the gifts they are given so they don't get jealous over the attention the babies will be demanding and receiving for a little while. They separate into corners of my room, playing with their presents while the family fawns over the new arrivals.

I sit back and watch.

Alice and Jasper share a knowing smirk. I have a feeling Mitchell won't be an only child forever.

I miss my brother and his family, but I know it was for the best that they moved up to Wisconsin for his job. The promotion couldn't be passed up and they're planning on coming down for summer vacation, so I'll see them soon. My mom on the other hand is currently living in a small village in Tibet and trying her hand at Buddhism. She'll come visit when she's done with her spiritual journey, but we have no idea how long that could take.

Esme hasn't put little Carlisle down since I handed him to her. She just plays with the small tuft of strawberry blond hair. Our little man is going to take after his father hopefully. Speaking of which, his father is currently cradling his older sister by two and a half minutes in a chair beside my bed. She doesn't know it, but she already had him wrapped around her finger the second he cut the umbilical cord.

He looks up at me with a pleading smile.

"Not a chance," I snort. "Five is enough. You're still going to your appointment before my six week check up." I hand gesture scissors, mouthing, "Snip snip."

He pouts, but he knows that we're done. Six is too many, but five is perfect for us.

And our lives. Well, those are perfect, too.

We have our ups and downs just like any other family, but we face them together as a united unit. And that's the way it will be until I take my last breath.

***wipes tear***

**It was never my intention to kill off Carlisle. It just happened and surprised me all the same.**

**Jessica got married to Sam and had a little girl that loves to beat up her big brothers. Miracles happen and her stupidity was cured when her daughter was born.**

**I like to think Angela and Eric are still together. I don't think she'll ever get married again and that's okay with him because he just loves her that much. And Ben gets to watch what he's missing every single day because Eric's not afraid to flaunt what he's gained.**

**A lot of people asked for some form of back story with Sue but she clearly wasn't worth my time.. I like to think she got everything she deserved. Her children stole the money she received from Charlie's death and then abandoned her. She was walking across the street after that day in the courtroom and got hit by a school buss Regina George style.. use your imagination.**

**Thanks go everyone that stumbled across my little story. I truly appreciate the kind words and friends I've made along this journey. Keep me on alert because I've been mass producing new content here lately *unemployed problems lol**

**Love you all :D**

**l**

**l**

**l**

**V**


	46. Chapter 46

**Hey ladies! Just wanted to let everyone know that Southern Comfort was nominated for top ten completed fics in September 2012. If you want you can go vote for it at  
**

** twifanfictionrecs DOT com/2012/10/01/vote-for-your-top-ten-completed-fics-september-2012/**

**Just remove the spaces and replace the DOT :D thanks bunches!  
**

**XOXO Ashley  
**


End file.
